Past Memories
by KTSpree13
Summary: Lina has a big secret, and she's afraid to tell her traveling companions. What's wrong with Lina? She has to make a difficult decision, and she decides to leave everyone. What will happen when they find out? R&R plz! My first ff.net ficcie.
1. Default Chapter

Hey...if the summary caught your eye, it's cause my great friend Fruit Loop #2 wrote it for me. I was going to write something afterwords, but it seems there's a limit on how long summaries can be. Well this talks about Lina's horrific past, and how it comes back to haunt her. Along with that, a serious illness come back as well. I hope you guys like this fic. My friends thought it was good and suggested to put it up here. It's nowhere near done. All questions, comments, and flames go to me @ smilesevily3000@aol.com (although I don't think I'll get many flames cause all my friends say this is actually in character). Enjoy!! P.S. I have written a whole bunch more, but I have to make sure you people like this before I put up more. ^^ This is also Humor, but I could only put up 2 genres. oh well. By the way I don't own Slayers, and I'm very bad at writing disclaimers, so whatever you do, don't sue me...cause this is my disclaimer! hee hee! ^^ laterz! KT-chan  
Memories Long Buried  
Lina's Past Life…  
My name is Lina   
I am but three,   
My eyes are swollen   
I cannot see,   
I must be stupid   
I must be bad,   
What else could have made   
Made my mommy so mad?   
I wish I were better   
I wish I weren't ugly,   
Then maybe my mommy   
Would still want to hug me.   
I can't speak at all   
I can't do a wrong   
Or else I'm locked up   
All the daylong.   
When I awake   
I'm all alone   
The house is dark   
My folks aren't home   
When my mommy does come   
I'll try and be nice,   
So maybe I'll get just   
One whipping tonight.   
Don't make a sound!   
I just heard footsteps;   
My mommy is back   
From Charlie's Bar.   
I hear her curse   
My name she calls   
I press myself   
Against the wall   
I try and hide   
From her evil eyes   
I'm so afraid now   
I'm starting to cry   
She finds me weeping   
She shouts ugly words,   
She says it's my fault   
That she suffers at work.   
She slaps me and hits me   
And yells at me more,   
I finally get free   
And I run for the door.   
She's already locked it   
And I start to bawl,   
She takes me and throws me   
Against the hard wall.   
I fall to the floor   
With my bones nearly broken,   
And my mommy continues   
With more bad words spoken.   
"I'm sorry!" I scream   
But its now much too late   
Her face has been twisted   
Into unimaginable hate   
The hurt and the pain   
Again and again   
Oh please God, have mercy!   
Oh please let it end!   
And she finally stops   
And heads for the door,   
While I lay there motionless   
Sprawled on the floor.   
My name is Lina,   
And I am but three,   
Tonight my mommy   
Murdered me.  
  
And then she called the healer. I was given another chance to live but what my mother did wouldn't change...no matter how many times the healer came and brought me back to health. And so when I was old enough and capable of taking care of myself…I ran away while my mother was at the store and my big sister was at work, like always.  
  
Chapter One: All Sleep and no Destroying, makes Lina a Sick Girl.  
  
"Where's Lina?" Gourry asked one morning, as they waited for her to come down for breakfast.  
"I dunno…she usually doesn't over sleep…" Zel commented.  
"I'll go see what's keeping her." Amelia said.  
As Amelia approached Lina's room she heard a gasp of pain and footsteps running toward the bathroom.  
"Lina-san!!! Are you ok? You sound like you getting sick!"  
A couple minutes Lina replied with a very soft, "Yes, don't worry, I'm fine."  
"We're all waiting for you to come down for breakfast Lina-san…you sure you're ok?"  
"I'm fine Amelia…you guys go on ahead with breakfast…I'm not really hungry."  
"Lina-san that doesn't sound like you! I'm gonna come in."  
Amelia opens the door to see Lina lying on the bed looking out the window. She didn't look sick…but Lina had a very good way of hiding things she didn't want others to see.  
"What? I'm fine?"  
"Lina-san I know something's not right…if you don't tell me I'll have Gourry-san come up and sit with you till we're ready to go."  
"Amelia…I don't know what you're talking about…I'm just not hungry today. I ate too much yesterday and I'm not hungry."  
"Lina-san! Stop saying that…you can tell me what's wrong!"  
"Nothing! I haven't got the slightest clue about what you're talking about…"  
Amelia left to call Gourry up.  
"Great…" She thought, "I can't keep up this charade for much longer and now Amelia's calling Gourry up! Why'd she have to do that?!"  
"GOURRY-SAN!!!" Amelia shouted, "CAN YOU COME UP HERE PLEASE?!"  
"Oi…why Amelia? I'm hungry!!!"  
"I'll send something up for you…just come up here!"  
Gourry started up the stairs…  
"Why did you need me?"  
"Lina-san says she's not hungry…I think she's sick, but she says otherwise…will you sit up here with her?"  
"Why…if Lina's sick, shouldn't we leave her alone?"  
"Haven't we always done that when we think she's sick but says different?"  
"Yeah…so?"  
"If we keep letting her play this game, she'll never learn to trust us. If she says she's not sick then she won't mind if you sit in the room and talk with her till we have to leave…right?"  
"Yeah I guess so…"  
"Ok then…go on in."  
"But…but what about breakfast?"  
"I said I'd send something up remember?"  
"Oh yeah…"  
"Enjoy you time with her… tell me if she says she's sick or not…"  
"Ok…"  
Gourry opens the door, and walks into Lina's room. It's all dark and gloomy like. Clothes are everywhere, and the bed's unmade…the bathroom lights on, the door's closed. Gourry pulls up a chair and waits for Lina. He seems to look really out of place in the gloomy room.  
"Eh Lina…what's taking so long?"  
"I'm gonna take a bath…is that ok?"  
"Yeah sure fine. I'll just wait here."  
After a half an hour Lina comes out of the bathroom from taking a bath to see Gourry sleeping in a chair by her bed. She's dripping wet and looking for some fresh new clothes. Gourry wakes up to see Lina getting dressed on the bed. He stares…  
"HEY!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING STARING AT ME WHILE I'M GETTING DRESSED!!! YOU PERVERT!!!" *throws boot at Gourry* *makes contact with his head*  
"Owww…sorry but if why were you getting dressed in your room if I was in here?"  
"Because you were sleeping dummy!!! I didn't expect you to wake up!!!"  
"Well then it's not entirely MY fault, is it? You were the one who just assumed…"  
"And you were the one who stared at me when you could have looked the other way!!!" "Men…" Lina mumbled.  
Zel and Amelia heard them downstairs…  
"Guess that wasn't such a…good idea."  
"Nope."  
Back upstairs…  
"AND YOU'RE SUCH A F****N A**HOLE!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO DENSE?!"  
Suddenly Lina's door bursts open…  
*bang*  
"This…isn't going to be good…" Amelia says.  
Gourry goes flying over the banister along with many other objects…  
"Chair…boots, pillows, sheets, dresser, mirror, hairbrush, *boink* oww…that had to hurt…and…oh no there goes the bed itself." *crash*  
"Oh boy" Zel sighs.  
Lina marches down the stairs…she grabs hold of Gourry's collar, and pulls him up.  
"And don't you ever…EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!!"  
Lina proceeds beating him and everyone else just stares. She stomps on him and walks out the door.  
"Come on let's go!!!" She shouts.  
Gourry pancake slithers over to the door and squishes underneath it.  
Amelia and Zel continue to stare.  
"I think…maybe we should go make sure he's…ok…"  
"Yeah…" 


	2. To Remember or Not to Remember!

Hey everybody! Me again! I'm glad you all liked the first chapter!!! I was glad to get reviews from you all. I've decided to make a rule. If I don't get enough reviews, I'm not going to put much more up. I'll just send it to those who really want to read it. (such as my friends who have already read past this part.) Like I said before, this is nowhere near done. It's going to be VERY LONG!! Please bear with me. Have any of you read FruitLoop#1's story Water? I think it's Water and something on FF.net, but she calls it water. Water Damon or Water Dragon or something. Or maybe it was Water Demon Dragon...well I don't remember, so you should go check her out. It's getting to the Slayers part. It's mostly based around hers and FL#2's original characters, but it's mixed with Slayers. She stopped for a while cause she didn't get many reviews!! I think that's sad! She a great writer. Ok so...all of you review this story, and go on and read hers. In this section, I'll answer questions you have. Someone asked for a sequel...well...this isn't done, so I can't do one yet. Maybe if when I'm finished with this, and it doesn't seem like a good ending, or it leaves you all wondering what's going to happen, then maybe. MAYBE! This is going to turn into a real tear jerker story, so get out your tissues, and read on! Cya all in the next chapter - KT-chan!!! ^^ (Oh and if the text actually shows up blue, it means flashback. Yeah)  
Chapter 2  
  
To remember or not to remember!  
  
Lina and co. found another town to stay in which would take about a day to get to on foot…but using other ways of travel…you could probably get there in half a day.  
And so we continue with the day's activities…  
Gourry picks up a pamphlet and looks at it…  
"Hmmm…I wonder if...should I even ask? Why not."  
Gourry goes up to the room Lina's staying in and firmly knocks at the door.  
"Lina?"  
"Yeah what is it jellyfish-for-brains?"  
:: She's still mad at me ^^;::  
"I wanted to know if you wanted to go to a ballet tonight with me…it's supposed to be really good!"  
Gourry hears footsteps on the creaking floorboards, as the door opens.  
"Well…come on in…I suppose."  
Gourry walks in. Her bed was unmade…  
:: Was she sleeping…at THIS time of day?::  
"Now what was it you were asking?"  
"I wanted to know if you wanted to go to a ballet with me tonight."  
"Gourry…do you even know what a ballet is?"  
"No…but I thought maybe you'd like to go anyways…the pamphlet says it's supposed to be really good. It's called The Nutcracker."  
*sigh* "A ballet is a form of dancing in which precise poses and steps are combined with light leaps, and turns to convey a story, theme, or atmosphere. It combines dancing, scenery, and music all in one.  
(Should I use any of these words instead of precise? Restrained traditionalistic constrained formal artful…)"  
"Oh…"  
"You didn't get a word I said did you?"  
"No…not really. Could you show me?"  
*sigh* "Fine I suppose…" *checked to make sure her boots were off* Without even realizing she was doing this Lina tip-toed across the floor with great accuracy…she was doing pirouettes and plie's across the floorboards in her room. She curtsied and leaped, turned and twisted like a professional ballerina…she was halfway through the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy when she stopped, and realized she'd been ballet dancing. She covered her mouth with her hands and fell to her knees. Gourry was stunned. He didn't know what to say…she had danced so beautifully and gracefully almost like she was dancing on air…and then she just broke down.  
"Lina...what's wrong?"  
"Gourry…I think maybe…you should…g-go. I'll go to the ballet with you…when does it start?"  
:: She's…stuttering…why?::  
"Um…it starts at 8:00"  
"Alright…I'll see you then."  
Zel and Amelia had been peering through the door to see why the floorboards were creaking so much, and when they had seen Lina, they were astounded…they cringed though when they saw how she stood on the tips of her toes…it looked…rather…painful. They escaped to their own rooms before Gourry was about to come out.  
(Since when can Lina dance like that? Probably never…maybe but she never shows, or tells anybody as her experience as a dancer…I just kinda put it there cause I like watching professional ballet dancers…it looks really graceful and airless…ahhh *goes off in own little world*)  
*****NEW!!!*****  
Just as Gourry was about to leave the room, he heard something behind him...  
*hack* *splat* *thump*  
Gourry turned around to see Lina crumpled on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding her.  
"LINA!"  
Gourry rushed over to her, picked her up and put her on the bed. He went to get Amelia.  
**********In Amelia's room**********  
"I wonder why I didn't hear Gourry-san come out of Lina's room…"  
*BANG* Gourry burst into Amelia's room.  
"AMELIA!!! COME QUICK!"  
"Ano…Gourry-san, what is it?"  
"It's Lina!"  
They both rushed to her room and Amelia got one look at Lina and shut the door in Gourry's face.  
"H-hey! What was that for?"  
"Gourry-san! This is girl stuff…I will ask you to please refrain from coming into Lina-san's room till I allow you too.  
*door opens* *'Do Not Disturb' sign is placed on the door handle*  
Amelia walks over to where Lina is lying on the bed. She goes and gets a hot washcloth from the bathroom and wipes the blood off Lina's face.  
***************************************************  
"I'm sorry miss…but your father is dead."  
***************************************************   
Lina trembled. She wasn't awake, but she trembled all the same. Amelia stared at her.  
"Ano…I wonder if I should wake her up."  
Lina trembled again.  
"Yeah…that's a good idea."  
She tried to shake her awake, but it didn't work. She thought about splashing her face with water, but she figured Lina would be mad if she did that. Then she remembered what her father had said about ammonia.  
********************************************************  
"Amelia, if you ever want to wake someone up, without shaking them, use ammonia, the smell is strong enough to wake even the soundest of sleepers."  
********************************************************  
Amelia took some out of the cabinet in the bathroom, and poured in on a spoon, because the jar was fairly large and she thought the smell would be too strong. She went back over to Lina to see if it would arouse her. She sticks the spoon under her nose, and Lina's eyes begin to open. Lina notices the ammonia.  
********************************************************  
"Come on sweetie…mommy has something that will cure those hunger pains of yours." *Lina's mother inches closer to a younger Lina. *  
"Mommy? What is that stuff?"  
"It's good for you!"  
********************************************************  
Lina sat up in the bed staring horrified at the ammonia that Amelia was holding.  
"Lina-san? What's wrong?"  
********************************************************  
"Don't worry sweetie, it will make you feel better!"  
"Mommy I don't really-"  
Lina's mother forces the spoon of yellow liquid into the younger Lina's mouth; she starts to choke.  
"MOMMY!"  
Her mother stares at her and laughs.  
********************************************************  
"NOOO! Stay away from me with that stuff!"  
"LINA-SAN! What's the matter?! I wasn't going to give it to you or anything…I was just trying to wake you up!"  
"J-just d-d-don't…don't do it again, please."  
"I promise Lina-san! I-I won't ever use ammonia to wake you up again. Even if it means it could save your life. Ok?"  
"F-fine."  
"I'll excuse myself Lina-san. Hope you get better. Oh Gourry-san told me to remind you that the ballet is at 8 tonight. You sure you still want to go?"  
"Yeah. Tell Gourry I'll be there. I won't be late."  
"Ok" Amelia leaves Lina alone in her room as she starts to cry.  
  
- That was a long Author's Notes...I hope you all bothered to read them! Or maybe you don't like to listen to me rambling...oh well. Till the next chapter - Ja Ne!!! 


	3. Sorry but I have to go.

Hi Everyone!!! Me again! This is the latest! And this is also the end of what's on my computer, so it might take me awhile to get the next chapter up. Like 2 weeks at tops, if I don't work too hard on it. Maybe earlier. I hope this tides you over till then. My friends haven't read part of this either, so now they have to read it and leave me a BETTER review!! I apprieciate their reviews, but they don't say anything about my story!!! So...now they have to say stuff about my story, cause I just asked. (Yes that means you FL#1&2!!!) I am putting up an add for my services. If you would like me to send you an e-mail when I update my story, I will gladly do that as long as you send me an e-mail at smilesevily3000@aol.com. All I ask in return, is that you review my story. (For some reason I'm obsessed with reviews!) Did you all go and read FruitLoop (No space batween fruit and loop) #1's story? I just read her newest chapter, and I was close on the title. It's Water, Dragon, Monster. Close right FL#1? I also reviewed her poem. I think you all should read those as well! And if any of you ever see a writer named Vash-no-miko, she writes good poems! I don't know if she posts on ff.net, but whereever she posts, they're really good!!! One of you wrote to me in a review, asking if I had read 'A Child Called It.' I have. It was a really good book, and I am getting SOME (not all) of my ideas from that book, and others that I read. (Looking for home) I know I have really long Authors Notes, but what can I say? I like to talk to you all! (And yes I do say you all a lot. Gomen) I'm glad you all like my story so far. If you have any friends who like Slayers ff, will you please suggest my story to them? Pretty please? Ok and last time I had a review about couples, and I'm sorry but i forgot to answer it. I am strictly a Lina/Gourry fan, and I find that there are too few people who write L/G fanfiction, so every time I look for it I read all I find, and I rant to my friends about how no one writes it. I also like Amelia/Zel coupling, but I like READING L/G fanfiction better. If you all want some really good L/G ff, just ask and I'll put up some titles and web addresses. 00 wow look at how much I wrote!!! Well, I've written too much and clearly can't write any more, so if I missed anything it'll be in the next authors notes. -Ja Ne -KT-chan  
P.S. If the text comes up bold, italic, and underlined, it means its a memory. Since color didn't come up last time, I decided to try it this way. bai bai!!!  
***************************************************************  
A Couple of Hours Later...  
"Lina-san!!!" Amelia knocks on the bathroom door, "Lina-san! Are you ok?!" She hears the water running.  
"Yeah! I'm just getting ready for tonight."  
"You really still want to go?"  
"Yeah, Gourry asked me to go to a ballet with him. I told him ok. And normally when you tell someone yes, you plan to stick to it."  
"Well, then why are you taking a bath?"  
"Because, normally when you go somewhere nice, such as a ballet, you get dressed up, right?"  
"Oh! Yeah! Do you have something to wear?"  
"No...not really, but I'll just have to deal with it."  
"Oh...you sure you don't want to borrow something of mine? Or we could go shopping!"  
"Not enough time...sorry."  
*pause*  
"So...you going to use the M.B.E.'s?  
"I was thinking about it...why?"  
"Just wondering."  
"Whatever."  
"I'm gunna go now Lina-san...k?"  
"Alright! Bye!"  
"See you later!"  
********************************************************  
"Gourry-san!"  
"What?"  
"Why didn't you tell me Lina didn't have anythig to wear?"  
"Oh...well...I didn't know, naturally?"  
"Oh, well um...she told me when you go out to nice places you look nice. Well, places where ballet's are held, are extreamly nice, so you have to wear something very formal."  
"Oh! What should I wear?"  
"Do you have anything nice to wear?"  
"Um...not really..."  
"Well...neither does Lina, so I'm taking you out shopping, and we'll get something for Lina as a surprise, ok?"  
"Ok...I guess."  
"Let's go then!"  
"Is Zel comming?"  
"Hmmm...now that you mention it, I guess he should come along too."  
"Right."  
********************************************************  
"Zelgadiss-san!!!"  
"What?"  
"We're going shopping, and you have to come along!"  
"Why?"  
"Because!"  
"Who are we shopping for?"  
"Gourry and Lina!"  
"Why?"  
"Because they're going to a ballet tonight, and they don't have anything to wear!"  
"Well, shouldn't they come with us then?"  
"Gourry is, but we're getting Lina something as a surprise!"  
"Why?"  
"Because she's getting ready, and she said she couldn't go because it'd take her too long, so I thought I'd pick her something up as a surprise! Is that...ok?"  
"Yeah...ok whatever."  
********************************************************  
Amelia, Zel, and Gourry depart from the inn, in search of a tailors.  
"Found one!"  
"Where? We've been searching forever!"  
"Amelia, are you SURE it's a tailor this time, and NOT a wedding shop?"  
"POSITIVE, Zelgadiss-san!"  
"Alright...come on Gourry."  
"Hey, you're right Amelia!"  
"Wow...you are."  
"Well...sorry to say this, but...I told you so!"  
********************************************************  
Inside the tailors...  
"So...what are we getting?"  
"A tuxedo."  
"What's that?"  
"Just take this into the dressing room and try it on."  
"Where's the dressing room?"  
"That way."  
"OK thx!"  
********************************************************  
"ZEL! How do you get this thing on?"  
"Hold on I'll be over in a minute."  
Zel put down the paper and took one more sip of coffee and prayed to L-sama for patience. "Now what's the pro-"  
Gourry had the pants, white shirt, and jacket on right, but the bow was in his hair, and the other part was flipped up in his face.  
*sigh* "What happened?"  
"Well, I was fixing the bow in my hair when this thingy popped up on my face. *points to rolled up thing* (I forgot what they're called. It's what kept flipping up on that ringmaster from Dumbo...if you remember that part.) And I couldn't get it to stay down!"  
"Ok...we can get rid of that, they aren't always necessary when wearing a tuxedo. Now why did you put the bow in your hair?"  
"Isn't that where bow's go?"  
"No...only on girls. When you wear a tuxedo, it comes with a bow which goes around the neck like this *shows Gourry*"  
"OH! I see! Ok thx, but is there anything else to wear besides the bow? Cause this neck thingy is really tight!"  
"Yeah you could wear a tie if you wanted, that would give you a shirt with a collar, but that wouldn't be so tight."  
"Ok, I'll try that."  
********************************************************  
Half an Hour Later...  
"Are you guys ready?"  
"Yeah...I think he got it this time..."  
"Well...let me see!!!"  
*Gourry walks out*  
*Amelia swoons* "Wow! That looks great on you Gourry-san! Lina's going to love it!"  
"You think?"  
"Oh yeah! I think she'll like it even more...especially since I'm not the...oops."  
"You're not the what?"  
"Nevermind...I said too much."  
"What were you gunna say?!!"  
"Nothing!"  
"Come on let's pay for this."  
"Good idea Zelgadiss-san."  
*Gourry puts on a pouty face* "I wanna know what you were gunna say!"  
"I was going to tell you, you have a blue tongue."  
"Really?"  
"No."  
"Then why'd you say that?"  
"To get you to shut up that's why."  
"Oh! Phooey on you!"  
"Well...let's go get Lina's outfit."  
"Good idea."  
*All march off to get Lina something to wear that evening.*  
********************************************************  
"How about this?"  
"It's ok...but...it's a little too flashy for Lina, don't you think?"  
"Yeah...I guess your right."  
"This is so hard!"  
"Yeah...especially since Lina doesn't usually wear dresses, ne Gourry-san?"  
"Yup."  
Amelia goes to the back of the store...  
"How about this?"  
Gourry and Zel stared.  
"Wow. Lina'd look beautiful in that."  
"I think you're right. And I'm sure it'll be real interesting to see if Lina'd actually wear it without Amelia trying to force it on her."  
"Zelgadiss-san!!"  
"No offense of course...it's just I don't think Lina's to keen on wearing dresses. Especially if they're bought for her."  
"Hmmm...oh well. Guess we'll just have to wing it."  
"OK."  
They buy the dress, and head back for the inn. It's officially 6:30PM.  
********************************************************  
Lina finishes her shower at 6:45, dries herself off, and walks out. Just as she came out, the door to her room shut.  
********************************************************  
"That was the fastest I have EVER flown!"  
"Yeah."  
"Why'd we have to fly so fast?"  
"Because we wanted to give Lina her package in secret, not in person."  
"Why?"  
"It's more romantic of course!"  
*Gourry and Zel facefaulted*  
"Besides...she'll more likely wear it now that we left it on her bed, rather than give it to her in person, open it in our faces and shove it back at us."  
"True."  
"I hope she wears it."  
"Me too! We should get a picture of you guys!"  
"When they get back Amelia...when they get back."  
Zel drags her back to her room.  
"Why'd he do that?"  
Zel comes out and goes to his room. (What'd you think? I was gunna have him stay in there?! Sickos. Hee hee!)  
Gourry follows suit and goes to his room to get ready for the ballet.  
********************************************************  
Lina starts over to her bed.  
"What's this?"  
She sees a box and a card. She opens the card. It reads:  
Dear Lina,  
I hope you like what I got you for tonight. I thought it'd look very pretty on you. Hope you wear it tonight.   
Gourry.  
  
"Wow. But he shouldn't have...I could've just...oh well. Let's have a look."  
Lina lifted the dress out of the box. It was georgeous! Not too overdone, but just right. It was a light pink blush color, made entierly out of silk. It had three layers (You know what those are, right? The things on a dress where one's lower than the other etc.?), and the top hung around the shoulders and had a big pink silk flower sewn on the left side. The middle of the waistband was shaped into a heart. Lina absolutely loved it! She gushed over it! She loved it so much it's too hard to explain. Lina put everything on, and started on her hair. She had evn used the M.B.E.'s. She curled her hair and split it in half. Tied both sides together with pink quartz heart hairholders (Ponytail holders, but I don't know if they had them back then...^^ So basically they're white ponytail holders with pink quartz stones shaped in a heart on them). Her shoes were creamy white with tiny little diamonds sewn in them here and there. She looked stunning. She put a little powdery glitter on her face, which softened it, as well as made her face sparkle. She put a ring on her right index finger, which matched the heart hairholders. She sparkled. She golwed with life from head to toe. She put on some cherry blossom colored lipstick, and cherry blossom colored nailpolish. When she was all ready, it was 7:50. Ten minutes to get to the theater.  
"I wonder if Gourry remembered to buy the tickets in advance? Probably not...oh well."  
*********************************************************  
"Where's Lina?"  
"I'm sure she's comming Gourry-san! Girls do take a little bit longer to get ready..." ::And if I'm not mistaken, Lina's probably making herself look the best she's EVER looked!::  
"We only have 10 minutes to go! I still have to buy the tickets!"  
The door to Lina's room opens...  
"Wow..."  
That's all Gourry managed to say till Lina said, "Well come on! Let's go!"  
"R-right!"  
Just before they left, Zel handed Gourry something.  
"So...what're you guys going to do while we're gone?"  
"Oh...you know...just hang out. I hear then have a social hour sometime, and they show movies then...so we might go and see one."  
"OK. Have fun!"  
*********************************************************  
They made it to the theater in 5 minutes. Gourry looked at what Zel had given him before they left the inn. It was front row seats to the play. Lina was definently surprised to see that not only did they have tickets in advance, but they were in the front row. Luckily she didn't know the Zel had gotten them for Gourry, or else it would have ruined the momment. They found their seats just as the curtain went up.  
*********************************************************  
"This is good."  
"Yeah, I'm surprised you haven't fallen asleep."  
"Well...the music's too loud."  
"Well, it's a good thing we're in the front then."  
"I guess..."  
*********************************************************  
"UP ON YOUR TOES LINA!!! NOW!"  
"I am!"  
*crack*  
A younger Lina falls on the grass.  
"What'd I do?!"  
"You weren't on your toes!"  
"Yes I was!"  
"NO. You were almost there... not on your toes enough! I guess your too heavy to be directly on your toes. We'll have to stop feeding you."  
"What?!"  
"You heard me you little wench. No food. Maybe then you'll be light enough to stand on your toes. Now try it again."  
"I can't."  
"There is no such word as can't."  
"I'll try."  
"Come over here."  
"No."  
"NOW!"  
Younger Lina walks over to her mother.  
"Try to take this whip out of my hand."  
She picks it up.  
"That wasn't trying...that was picking it up. TRY to pick it up."  
Lina looks at the whip for a long time and hesitates before picking it up again.  
"NO!"   
*crack*  
"There isn't such a word as try is there?"  
No answer.  
"IS THERE?!"  
Still nothing.  
"IS THERE?!"  
*crack*  
Younger Lina screams in pain.  
"NNNNOOOOOO!"  
"Now you get back up wench and you'd better be on your toes this time, or you don't get any lunch to take to school tomorrow. And no leftover breakfast either."  
*********************************************************  
A few tears fell from Lina's eyes when she remembered what her mother had done to her.  
"Lina? What's wrong? I thought this was a happy part."  
*blink*  
::What did he say? Something about a happy part? Oh yeah the ballet. I'm...crying.::  
Lina wipes the tears from her face.  
"It is a happy part, Gourry." She smiles at him reassuringly.  
"Then why were you-"  
"SSSSSH!" said someone next to them.  
"Sorry! Gourry talk to me after the ballet, OK?"  
"OK."  
*********************************************************  
Afterwords, Gourry had forgotten what he had wanted to ask, so they left back for the inn. It was midnight before then got back to their own bedrooms. Lina found a note from Amelia on her bed when she got in. She changed into her pajamas before she read it.  
  
Lina-san,  
Did you and Gourry-san have a good time? You guys got in REAL LATE! You'll probably get this in a couple of hours from now. Was the ballet really that long? I thought it was only two hours long, so you should've been back by 10:00pm. Oh well, you guys probably went out and did some more...things. Did you check out all the historic things around this town? I think this is the same one we came to with Filia. Oh wait...that was in the other world. Sorry about that. Well, tomorrow I was hoping we could talk. I found something...well I'll tell you tomorrow. I was writing this in your room when I found it though. I hope you don't find me rude. I just happened to glance at something shiny and well...one thing led to another, and well...I'll talk to you tomorrow.  
Oyasumi,  
Amelia Wil Telsa Sailoon  
  
"She...found it."  
*pause*  
"I have to go...I have to go tonight...now! I have to go now."  
Lina packed all her things, left Amelia a note, paid for her room, and departed from the inn on to another town.  
*********************************************************  
"You're leaving?!"  
"Yes...I can't stay with you anymore. I'd take your little play thing with me, but I know you'd call the Child Protection Service before I got far enough away."  
"So...you figured out my plan as to what I would have done if you left, and left with HER."  
"Yup."  
"Well...I guess I'll see you then."  
"Yeah. I hope the next time I see all of you, we won't be down a family member."  
"Oh what do you mean by that?"  
"I don't want to find out that Lina's dead, the next time I come and visit."  
"Oh. Well...she PROBABLY won't be, I can't make any gaurentees."  
This was mommy's little trick. She wouldn't make any gaurentees, daddy would give her money, and the next time he came, I'd still be alive.  
He gave her a 500 bill.  
"Oh, for me?"  
"For Lina."  
"Oh. Well, she'll be waiting for you next time you come."  
"Good bye Linn."  
"Bye you good-for-nothing-"  
The door slammed before she finished her sentence.  
*********************************************************  
Then next day, Lina was already three towns and 5 pit stops back from everyone else. And they were going to be VERY surprised to hear that she was gone.  
"Why'd she have to find it? I was having a great time last night. Why'd she have to ruin it? Why didn't I put it away last night?!"  
Lina was beating herself up. She wanted to stay with everyone, but if Amelia had found out about her secret, then she COULDN'T stay. She didn't want them knowing.  
"If Amelia found out, then it won't be long before the others find out too."  
::But I did put up a good disquise. There's only one doctor in this world that would've known I had...well..that disease::  
Lina couldn't even say it. She was too afraid. It had been gone for most of her 'new' life, but it came back...with the memories. It was scaring her. To think that she might die...  
::It's just too scary to think about. I watched myself being eaten whole before. That was before I became...well...fearless is one way to describe it. Some people might say uncompassionate. Others might call it heartless, or hardcore, and many other things. But now 'its' back, and I'm vulnerable again::  
-Well that's the last of it, so don't expect the next chapter anytime soon.  
Lina: Oh really?  
KT: Yes really.  
Shikaku: Animal Crackers in my soup! Monkey and rabbits loop the loop!!!  
Konran: *is running with an over sized injector needle* GET BACK HERE!!! YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR SANITY MEDICINE!!!  
*Shikaku hops away like a bunny*  
KT: Um...excuse them...Shikaku's a little...insane.  
Lina: Yeah...I think it's safe to say that.  
KT: Till next time!!! See you in the next chapter!!! 


	4. WHAT?! What're you doing here?!!

Ok people!!! I'm back for another chapter!!! Now I wrote this all in one day, and I thought that since all of you wanted to read more so much, I'd post it even if it wasn't a lot. Well...If I were to print this out, It's be 3 1/2 pgs long! I think that's a lot! Ok well...since this took me a little while to get done, you guessed it! I probably won't be updating anytime this week. I'll get a lot done over Christmas break though!!! Hope a lot of new people come a read it then, and also leave a review. Ya know, sometimes I think you guys don't even read my authors notes...I know they're long, but they're important!!! Well...here's the new section. I can't write a lot in this authors notes, cause I con't stay on the internet long, so...I have to go! See you all in the next chapter!!! - Ja! KT-chan  
***************************************************************  
"LINA-SAN!!!"  
*no answer*  
*Amelia opened the door.*  
The room was basically empty. The bed was made, the windows were open, the see through curtains were blowing dramatically, and there was a note on the bed. What was wrong with this picture?  
::Lina doesn't get up this early anymore...what's so wrong with this picture?::  
JUST THEN, Amelia notices the note. (Real funny, ne?)  
"What's..."  
Dear Amelia,  
So...you found out my biggest secret. Too bad it was tonight. I was having the best time of my life. Hope you don't tell the others. Goodbye forever, my good friend. I don't believe I'll see you again. If we do happen to meet someday again...you won't recognise me for who I was. I'll have changed skins. G  
o  
o  
d  
b  
y  
e. Lina Inversed (Inverse)  
"NO! I didn't!"  
*Amelia broke down*  
::I was the one who drove her away. Why'd she have to leave?! I wouldn't've said anything...we would have been able to help her. We would've... ::  
"AMELIA!"  
*Amelia snapped back to reality*  
"What?"  
"What's wrong?!"  
*the note fell out of Amelia's hand*  
*Zel read it.*  
"My God...she...left?"  
"Y-yeah."  
"Hey...where's Lina?"  
Amelia just stared at Gourry, and broke down crying.  
"What's wrong with her?"  
Zel went outside with Gourry, and closed the door.  
"Lina...left last night. Obviously Amelia thinks it's her fault."  
"But...why...why would Lina leave?"  
"It's all here in her note. Amelia found out a secret of Lina's. Obviously the key to why she's been so sick lately."  
Gourry read Lina's note.  
"B-but..."  
"Gourry?"  
Gourry looked terribly pitiful.  
"I'm leaving. I'm looking for her. She's going to explain why she'll look different and why she's leaving...forever."  
*DUM DUM DUM!*  
***************************************************************  
Lina remembered to a couple hours back...  
  
"You wouldn't happen to be...Lina Inverse, would you?"  
"Yeah...why? You want to anything to do with it?"  
"No...it's just...well, you were the one who's mother was...well..."  
"I know what you mean. *Lina looked at the ground* Yeah I am."  
"Oh...I'm teribly sorry miss. It's just too bad you developed that-"  
"I know."  
"Your mother never was put in jail, cause they couldn't get your statement."  
"That's unfortunate."  
"Well...that doctor put up notes on all the town's bulletin boards, about 3 weeks after you left the clinic. He wants to know if you're still alive."  
"You mean he's never heard about my reputation?"  
"Maybe he has...I wouldn't know."  
"You mean to tell me he hasn't moved anywhere since the last time I saw him?"  
"Well...actually, he moved about 3 towns from where he used to be located. In fact, anout 2 weeks ago he turned 31."  
"Wow."  
"So...if you wanted to...well..."  
"Visit him?"  
"Yeah. It's be about 7 towns and 12 pit stops from here."  
::So that makes it a total of 8 towns and 13 pitstops from my friends. ::  
"Ok thanks!"  
"Oh, you're most certainly welcome!"  
***************************************************************  
::Now I only have...4 towns and 7 pit stops to go. ::  
Lina took some pills before heading out for a light lunch.  
She reached a restaurant called "McNally's" and decided this would be the perfect place to dine.  
"May I take you order miss?"  
"Yeah. I'll have a glass of water, and a bowl of...chicken soup."  
"Will you have a large or small glass of water miss?"  
"Large."  
"And do you want a large or small bowl of chicken soup?"  
"Small, thank you."  
"Alright. You meal will be ready in a couple of minutes. You can pay now, or when your finished."  
"Now is fine."  
"Ok that comes to a total of...3 gold coins."  
"Ok thank you."  
Lina hands the waitress the three coins, and waits for her food.  
About ten minutes later, the waitress comes back, and hands her the bowl of soup and the water.  
"Thank you."  
"Oh you are most welcome!"  
"..."  
"Is there something the matter?"  
"Um..."  
"Yes?"  
"Have I met you before? Cause I could've sworn I heard an old farm man say that just about 5 hours ago."  
"I don't believe we've ever met miss..."  
"Are you related to him?"  
"Oh yes! Yes that's it. I'm his twice removed niece."  
"Um...ok...thank you again."  
"Sure! No problem. I was just glad the infamous Lina Inverse didn't order too much for us to make, and not pay for it."  
*blink blink*  
"Oops."  
"Oops is right. How did you know my name?"  
"Oh you know...word gets around about what you look like."  
"No...it doesn't. Almost all the population has heard of my name, but they don't know what I look like."  
"Ok, so I lied...I do know you."  
The waitress transforms into a familiar face.  
"Xellos!!?"  
"Mmmmnyes?"  
"XELLOS!!!"  
"Lina-san! Truely I meant you no harm!!! I was just...well..."  
"PASSING BY?!"  
"Yes. Now please...be a bit quieter. I'm undercover for Zellas."  
Lina sat down.  
"Oh really."  
"Yes really. She wants to know what's happened to you."  
"Well...you know already, don't you."  
"No, actually...I was trying to get it out of you the last time we talked."  
***************************************************************  
"Oh...I'm teribly sorry miss. It's just too bad you developed that-"  
***************************************************************  
"Oh..."  
"Well, Lina...what is it? I don't like secrets being kept from me."  
"Oh and you keep them from people all the time!"  
"You see!!! I'm a good secret keeper!!!"  
"Well...there's no way I'm telling you!!!"  
"PLEASE!!!"  
"No!"  
"Pretty please?!"  
"Nope."  
"Pretty please with sugar on top?"  
"NO!"  
"Pretty please with ice cream and-"  
"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOW IF YOU ASK ME AGAIN, I'M GOING TO MASH YOU INTO LITTLE PIECES AND BURN YOU TO DEATH!"  
"Sounds fun!"  
"Shut up."  
"Please?"  
"NO!"  
Xellos dissapeared.  
"DAMN HIM!!!"  
Lina calmed down and started on her soup. She finished the water, and set off for another town.  
***************************************************************  
"She's still running I see."  
"Yes."  
"Did she tell you what's slowing her down, and keeping her away from all her friends?"  
"Actually...no."  
"Oh? What happened, my dear?"  
"I...um..."  
"Yes?"  
"I slipped up a little."  
"How so?"  
"She figured my disquise out. I thought maybe it was a memory defect or something, so I thought if I thanked her in the same was the old man thanked her, and she didn't remember, then I would probably be able to figure it out. But it wasn't that. So..."  
"She knows you're tailing her, right?"  
"Yes."  
"Well then, we'll just have to take a look at her mind without her permission."  
***************************************************************  
Lina felt a sharp pain in her side. She tripped on something and started falling down a hill. She screamed out in pain as she bumped her head on some rocks on the path. All went black after that.  
***************************************************************  
Zellas peeked around Lina's memories a little bit.  
"So...I was right about her being in the most abusive child abuse case..."  
She looked a little deeper.  
"OOOH! This is VERY interesting!"  
Zellas squealed with delight.  
"What is it?"  
"OH! She has a crush on someone! And here! Here's what I've been looking for!"  
"Hmmm?"  
Xellos tried to see what his mistress was looking at, and failed.  
Zellas backed away from the cauldron she was looking through.  
"This is..."  
"Yes? What is it?"  
"She's got..."  
"Yes?! I'm dying to know!"  
"She's...she's going to..."  
"Mistress, what is it?"  
"This is very bed Xellos. Very bad. You keep an eye on her, you hear me! A very close eye."  
Xellos looked at his mistress. Shocked to say the least. She was actually concerned! He was going to have to find out for himself what was going on!  
*************************************************************** 


	5. A Repeat of Again.

Ok I have something very important for you all to read at the bottom here. I find it very sad that over the entire Christmas holiday, I didn't get a single new review. I asked you guys to e-mail me if you wanted me to tell you when I update...I didn't get any. I leave reviews for your stuff...or the stuff that I'm actually able to look at before I get kicked off the internet. And I hardly get any from you guys. I re-did some of my story here, and I didn't write much. (Hard to do with no support.) I'd like to hear about all of your Christmas's, if you all would like to tell me about them. (I personally was real happy to get a PS2!!! *Jumps for joy* S'cuse the pun.) I have a feeling hardly any of you read my authors notes!!! I didn't write much, and I didn't redo much, but I did do some, and it's a crucial part in my story. I'd like some constructive criticizem (And nothing like it needs more detail, because that's WAY too vague. Give a specific part that you feel needs more. Hey I'm a young author, and I'm Irish, so it's hard to figure out what needs more.) If you guys actually read this part, please tell me in your review, or send me an e-mail saying "Serge and Kid are the best Chrono Cross couple." Thx for all you faithful supporters. And for all you unsupporters, I hope you're satisfied. You've given me writers block! Bahumbug!  
  
"LINA-SAN!!!"  
*no answer*  
*Amelia opened the door.*  
The room was basically empty. The bed was made, the windows were open, the see through curtains were blowing dramatically, and there was a note on the bed. What was wrong with this picture?  
::Lina doesn't get up this early anymore...what's so wrong with this picture?::  
JUST THEN, Amelia notices the note. (Real funny, ne?)  
"What's..."  
Dear Amelia,  
So...you found out my biggest secret. Too bad it was tonight. I was having the best time of my life. Hope you don't tell the others. Goodbye forever, my good friend. I don't believe I'll see you again. If we do happen to meet someday again...you won't recognise me for who I was. I'll have changed skins. G  
o  
o  
d  
b  
y  
e. Lina Inversed (Inverse)  
"NO! I didn't!"  
*Amelia broke down*  
::I was the one who drove her away. Why'd she have to leave?! I wouldn't've said anything...we would have been able to help her. We would've... ::  
"AMELIA!"  
*Amelia snapped back to reality*  
"What?"  
"What's wrong?!"  
*the note fell out of Amelia's hand*  
*Zel read it.*  
"My God...she...left?"  
"Y-yeah."  
"Hey...where's Lina?"  
Amelia just stared at Gourry, and started crying again.  
"What's wrong with her?"  
Zel went outside with Gourry, and closed the door.  
"Lina...left last night. Obviously Amelia thinks it's her fault."  
"But...why...why would Lina leave?"  
"It's all here in her note. Amelia found out a secret of Lina's. Obviously the key to why she's been so sick lately."  
Gourry read Lina's note.  
"B-but..."  
"Gourry?"  
Gourry looked terribly pitiful.  
He looked down at the floor and a few tears slipped out of his eyes.  
***************************************************************  
"Son...you're not supposed to cry. Men never cry. Never."  
***************************************************************  
:: Never. ::  
"I'm leaving. I'm looking for her. She's going to explain why she'll look different and why she's leaving...forever."  
*DUM DUM DUM!*  
***************************************************************  
Lina remembered to a couple hours back...  
  
"You wouldn't happen to be...Lina Inverse, would you?"  
"Yeah...why? You want anything to do with it?"  
"No...it's just...well, you were the one who's mother was...well..."  
"I know what you mean. *Lina looked at the ground* Yeah I am."  
"Oh...I'm teribly sorry miss. It's just too bad you developed that-"  
"I know."  
"Your mother never was put in jail, cause they couldn't get your statement."  
"That's unfortunate."  
"Well...that doctor put up notes on all the town's bulletin boards, about 3 weeks after you left the clinic. He wants to know if you're still alive."  
"You mean he's never heard about my reputation?"  
"Maybe he has...I wouldn't know."  
"You mean to tell me he hasn't moved anywhere since the last time I saw him?"  
"Well...actually, he moved about 3 towns from where he used to be located. In fact, anout 2 weeks ago he turned 31."  
"Wow."  
"So...if you wanted to...well..."  
"Visit him?"  
"Yeah. It's be about 7 towns and 12 pit stops from here."  
::So that makes it a total of 8 towns and 13 pitstops from my friends. ::  
"Ok thanks!"  
"Oh, you're most certainly welcome!"  
***************************************************************  
::Now I only have...4 towns and 7 pit stops to go. ::  
Lina took some pills before heading out for a light lunch.  
She reached a restaurant called "McNally's" and decided this would be the perfect place to dine.  
"May I take you order miss?"  
"Yeah. I'll have a glass of water, and a bowl of...chicken soup."  
"Will you have a large or small glass of water miss?"  
"Large."  
"And do you want a large or small bowl of chicken soup?"  
"Small, thank you."  
"Alright. You meal will be ready in a couple of minutes. You can pay now, or when your finished."  
"Now is fine."  
"Ok that comes to a total of...3 gold coins."  
"Ok thank you."  
Lina hands the waitress the three coins, and waits for her food.  
About ten minutes later, the waitress comes back, and hands her the bowl of soup and the water.  
"Thank you."  
"Oh you are most certainly welcome!"  
"..."  
"Is there something the matter?"  
"Um..."  
"Yes?"  
"Have I met you before? Cause I could've sworn I heard an old farm man say that just about 5 hours ago."  
"I don't believe we've ever met miss..."  
"Are you related to him?"  
"Oh yes! Yes that's it. I'm his twice removed niece."  
"Um...ok...thank you again."  
"Sure! No problem. I was just glad the infamous Lina Inverse didn't order too much for us to make, and not pay for it."  
*blink blink*  
"Oops."  
"Oops is right. How did you know my name?"  
"Oh you know...word gets around about what you look like."  
"No...it doesn't. Almost all the population has heard of my name, but they don't know what I look like."  
"Ok, so I lied...I do know you."  
The waitress transforms into a familiar face.  
"Xellos!!?"  
"Mmmmnyes?"  
*Lina stood up*  
"XELLOS!!!"  
"Lina-san! Truely I meant you no harm!!! I was just...well..."  
"PASSING BY?!"  
"Yes. Now please...be a bit quieter. I'm undercover for Zellas."  
*Lina sat down.*  
"Oh really."  
"Yes really. She wants to know what's happened to you."  
"Well...you know already, don't you."  
"No, actually...I was trying to get it out of you the last time we talked."  
***************************************************************  
"Oh...I'm teribly sorry miss. It's just too bad you developed that-"  
***************************************************************  
"Oh..."  
"Well, Lina...what is it? I don't like secrets being kept from me."  
"Oh and you keep them from people all the time!"  
"You see!!! I'm a good secret keeper!!!"  
"Well...there's no way I'm telling you!!!"  
"PLEASE!!!"  
"No!"  
"Pretty please?!"  
"Nope."  
"Pretty please with sugar on top?"  
"NO!"  
"Pretty please with ice cream and-"  
"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOW IF YOU ASK ME AGAIN, I'M GOING TO MASH YOU INTO LITTLE PIECES AND BURN YOU TO DEATH!"  
"Sounds fun!"  
"Shut up."  
"Please?"  
"NO!"  
Xellos dissapeared.  
"DAMN HIM!!!"  
Lina calmed down and started on her soup. She finished the water, and set off for another town.  
***************************************************************  
"She's still running I see."  
"Yes."  
"Did she tell you what's slowing her down, and keeping her away from all her friends?"  
"Actually...no."  
"Oh? What happened, my dear?"  
"I...um..."  
"Yes?"  
"I slipped up a little."  
"How so?"  
"She figured my disquise out. I thought maybe it was a memory defect or something, so I thought if I thanked her in the same was the old man thanked her, and she didn't remember, then I would probably be able to figure it out. But it wasn't that. So..."  
"She knows you're tailing her, right?"  
"Yes."  
"Well then, we'll just have to take a look at her mind without her permission."  
***************************************************************  
Lina felt a sharp pain in her side. She tripped on something and started falling down a hill. She screamed out in pain as she bumped her head on some rocks on the path. All went black after that.  
***************************************************************  
Zellas peeked around Lina's memories a little bit.  
"So...I was right about her being in the most abusive child abuse case..."  
She looked a little deeper.  
"OOOH! This is VERY interesting!"  
Zellas squealed with delight.  
"What is it?"  
"OH! She has a crush on someone! And here! Here's what I've been looking for!"  
"Hmmm?"  
Xellos tried to see what his mistress was looking at, and failed.  
Zellas backed away from the cauldron she was looking through.  
"This is..."  
"Yes? What is it?"  
"She's got..."  
"Yes?! I'm dying to know!"  
"She's...she's going to..."  
"Mistress, what is it?"  
"This is very bad Xellos. Very bad. You keep an eye on her, you hear me! A very close eye."  
Xellos looked at his mistress. Shocked to say the least. She was actually concerned! (AN: And a little out of character, too) He was going to have to find out for himself what was going on!  
***************************************************************  
*dream*  
"Lina? Lina where are you?"  
"I'm over here!"  
"LINA!!!"  
"OVER HERE!!!"  
"He can't hear you."  
"Why not?"  
"Because. You are watching reality. Your friends went looking for you."  
"But...why?"  
"Because! They care about you!!!!"  
"But...but..."  
"Yes?"  
"Why would they look for me if...if I'm going to...to..."  
"Hmmm?"  
"If I'm going to die?"  
*silence*  
"Who are you anyway?"  
*Lina turned to see a very surprised Xellos.*  
"YOU!"  
"Lina-chan..."  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!"  
:: He looks hurt! Why? ::  
"Lina-chan!"  
"WHY?!"  
*Lina starts to cry*  
"LINA!"  
"Go away! Just leave me alone!"  
"Lina-chan!"  
"Go."  
"But Lina-"  
"NOW!"  
*Xellos dissapeares*  
"Lina...where are you?"  
*Lina looks up to see Gourry's face staring at her.*  
"I'm right here Jellyfish-for-brains. So...come and get me."  
***************************************************************  
"LLIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNAAAAA!!!"  
"Gourry...you're not going to find her by calling her name out really loud."  
"Besides, Gourry-san, even if she was around, I bet she wouldn't respond if she heard you."  
"But I thought I heard her voice..."  
"You were probably just imagining things, Gourry-san."  
"Maybe..."  
"Come on. Let's go back to the inn. I'm hot and I'm sweaty, and I want a bath."  
"Fine, fine. We'll go back."  
"Maybe she went left from the inn, instead of right."  
"You mean went back to towns we were already at?"  
"Yeah."  
"Ok...we'll check again tomorrow going that way."  
"Good. Now can we leave?"  
"Yes, Amelia, now we can leave."  
"YES!!!"  
***************************************************************  
*A blue haired man walks by and sees Lina lying at the bottom of a rocky ditch, unconscious.*  
"Lina?  
:: What happened to her? ::  
"LINA!!!"  
AN: How does this mystery man know Lina?!! What will happen to our heroine next?! Will her fate be so terrible that she'll live a living hell?! Oh please! Everyone pray for our beutiful genious sorcerer, so that she makes it out of this alive. (If you don't leave a review after reading this, I will consider you all terrible people, and end the story with Lina died. I expect at least 7 to 10 reviews, and I'll wait at least 10 to 15 days.) Have fun with the update. (If I get less than that in 20 days, I'll just update for my faithful reviewers via e-mail.) 


	6. She Lives! Not enough support from her ...

Did you guys miss me? You author is suffering from depression. Although noone else knows, and she doesn't know how to make it better. I'm a terribly good actor you see. I've gone into my third quarter slump. And trust me...not doing your math homework day in and day out is not good for your grade. I took a science test today, yelled at my friend somemore, and totally shuned some other people. I'm sad, and I don't know how to get better. Well, hope you all like this chapter. Bye! And if you don't read this now, I'm sticking it at the bottom too.  
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"Oh my. A pregnant cancer patient. Lina-chan look at the mess you got yourself into now. And how did you fall down that hill anyways? So many questions that will go unanswered for now. Let's hope you wake up in the next 24 hours."  
***************************************************************  
Lina watched her friends go back to the inn they were staying at. They had been looking for her, but stopped because of Amelia's incessent whining. She saw Amelia go into her room. Watched her live up to all that whining and take a bath. She saw Zel go into his room, and she watched him as he said a prayer. One for her, and one for Amelia. Amelia was abviously taking her dissapearance harshly. Then she watched Gourry go into his rooom. She watched him take his armour off. She watched him polish his sword. She stared at his face. It reflected depression, stress, and also proved he was very tired. He wasn't his usual self. Not in the least. Then he did something Lina had never seen him do. He started crying. Not like Amelia's whiny cry, but a deep cry. One she made when her father was killed. One she made when her mother broke her heart. Lina went over to Gourry, and even though she knew she was no more than a ghost to him, she hugged him. Comforted him. Told him it was best to cry. It's not a shameful thing to cry. Or at least not to cry like that.  
"Jellyfish for brains. Why'd you have to fall in love with me? It would be best if you just...if you just...forget me. Bye."  
"Lina? Lina...I know you're out there somewhere. Please...please tell me why you left, Lina. If I know that, I'll be more able to deal with you being gone. Just please...why?"  
"Oh Gourry..."  
"Lina?"  
Gourry looked around everywhere.  
"Gourry? You can...hear me?"  
"Lina."  
"Gourry...I'm right in front of you!"  
"LINA!"  
*Lina woke up from the dream she was having.*  
"Gourry?"  
"Gourry? No I don't think so. More like Dr. Kajiheru."  
"Kaji?"  
"In the flesh!"  
"Oh my gosh...then that means..."  
"Yes Lina-chan. It means you're back at the Lukimia Treatment Center."  
"No...but..."  
"I'm sorry."  
"No...no. I was on my way here in the first place. It's just..."  
"Hmmm?"  
*silence*  
"Oh I get it. It's about that Gourry guy isn't it?"  
*Lina blushed*  
"OH!!! I see...so he's the f-I mean...uh...nevermind."  
*Kaji but his hand hehind his head and grinned comically while sweatdropping, no da*  
:: Lina probably doesn't even know about the...well better not even say the word in case anyone reads my thoughts. Or she would've taken better care of herself. Surely! Right? ::  
"The what? What were you going to say?"  
"Ahhh...it was...um...nothing. Nothing at all. Just talking to myself. Just talking to myself."  
*Lina glared at Kaji*  
"Meanie."  
"I'll tell you...uh...later! Yeah that's it. Later!"  
"Right. Just as immature as you were before."  
"Wha? That's an insult!"  
"Wow he can tell an insult from me talking about him. So he has changed! I'm impressed!"  
"HEY! Why you!"  
"Geeze Kaji. Where's your sense of humor?"  
*Lina started laughing*  
*Kaji stares at her*  
*He continues to stare*  
*Lina stops laughing*  
"What's your problem?"  
"I've just..."  
"Just what?"  
"Just never seen you laugh before. I don't think I ever have."  
*Lina looks away*  
"Oh...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, Lina-chan."  
"Don't worry about me."  
"But I'm very worried about you. I mean I found you lying at the bottom of a ditch, bleeding, and on top of that the cancer has spread more than before. And...well there's that other thing that I'll tell you about later."  
"What? You mean..."  
"Yes, Lina-chan. It's spreading. There's nothing I can do. There's only one possible way the cancer can be cured. It's a bone marrow transplant. But it's very risky. Normally the giver doesn't survive, because the tools we have aren't advanced enough to the point where it'll gaurentee their saftey."  
"I...I know. I wasn't even considering that option."  
"Well...why not?"  
"Because. My life isn't worth risking someone elses."  
"Lina-chan. Think this over. It could save you. You...oh Lina-chan. Trust me. After tonight. You'll think differently about that bone marrow transplant."  
"I probably won't."  
"Well...here's a pro's and con's sheet one of my earlier patients made. Look it over. I have some other buisness to attend to. Sorry to leave so soon. Later,   
Lina-chan."  
"Good...bye."  
*Kaji stepped out of Lina's room*  
"That girl. She'll never listen. Nurse."  
"Yes, Doctor?"  
"Please see if you can find anything on a man named Gourry."  
*The nurse typed the name in*  
"Do you know the last name, doctor?"  
"No. How many Gourry's are there?"  
"About thirteen, doctor."  
"Ok one minute."  
*Kaji opens the door to Lina's room*  
"Lina-chan?"  
"Yes? What is it?"  
"What's Gourry's last name?"  
"Gourry? Gourry's..."  
"His last name."  
"Gabrieve. Gourry Gabrieve. Gabrieve that's it."  
"Lina-chan? Are you all right?"  
"All right? Who? I didn't think anyone was right here."  
*Kaji closed her door*  
"Nurse."  
"Yes, doctor?"  
"His last name is Gabrieve. Is there anything on a Gourry Gabrieve?"  
"Gabrieve...Gabrieve...Yes actually. He's the thirteenth one here. It says he donated blood to...to...his mother I think it says. And is currently on the road traveling with a sorceress by the name of Lina Inverse. Hmmm...interesting. Wait...you don't think..."  
"I sure do."  
"Oh! Our Lina-chan is all grown up and on her own!!! Poor girl."  
"Yes. And there's something wrong here. It seems Lina's gone into shock from leaving Gourry. Or just going into shock from being here, or something. Maybe both. Who was she closest to here when she was with us?"  
"Why it was...hmmm...Shi and me. But Shi..."  
"Yes. Shi dies a couple weeks after Lina left. Well...try and talk to her. See what's wrong."  
"Can do Kaji. I'll try. Oh and a guy in the waiting room is waiting for you. He looks kind of suspicious to me."  
"Ok. Thank you."  
*the nurse opens the door to Lina's room*  
"Lina-chan?"  
"Hai? Who is it?"  
"It's me...Nurse Shimo."  
"Oh. Hello. How are you?"  
"Oh just fine dear. How are you?"  
"As good as a cancer patient can be. Where's Shi?"  
"Oh dear...she...she died a couple weeks after you left."  
"Left? What are you talking about? I just saw Shi yesterday. I never left."  
"Lina-chan? What are you talking about? You're not twelve anymore. You left six years ago."  
"No. I didn't have cancer six years ago. I was still living with my mother six years ago. I was still locked in our basement eating dish soap six years ago. What are you talking about?"  
"Oh dear. Lina-chan, I'll be back in a few, ok?"  
"Ok. Bye Shimo-chan!"  
*the nurse walks to the waiting room where she finds Kaji and the visitor talking*  
"Kaji-san?"  
"Yes, Shimo?"  
"Did you give Lina the special drug M?"  
"No...why?"  
"Well...according to our theories of mx+b, the drug starts working about 10 minutes after given to the patient."  
"Yes I know that Shimo. Why are you telling me this?"  
"Because. It's Lina ,Kaji. She thinks she's twelve again. No matter what I tell her. She believes she's twelve."  
"You're...you're kidding. That's...that's not something to joke about."  
"No. Kaji it's true. Go check for yourself."  
"Ok. Fine. You keep this...Mr. Mettalium at bay here."  
"Ok."  
*Kaji walks back to Lina's room and opens the door*  
"Lina?"  
"KAJI-SAMA!!!"  
*The Lina who thinks she's twelve launches herself at Kaji*  
"Hi, Lina-san. Why are you leaping at me like you're twelve?"  
"Because I am twelve, silly!"  
"No, Lina-chan. You're not. You're a big girl now. You're 18."  
"What? Kaji-sama. Stop joking!"  
"But Lina-chan...I'm not."  
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See! I told you I'd put it down here! Did you guys miss me? You author is suffering from depression. Although noone else knows, and she doesn't know how to make it better. I'm a terribly good actor you see. I've gone into my third quarter slump. And trust me...not doing your math homework day in and day out is not good for your grade. I took a science test today, yelled at my friend somemore, and totally shuned some other people. I'm sad, and I don't know how to get better. Well, hope you all like this chapter. Well, I'm in a rush. My brother wants to send an e-mail, so I have to go. Bye!!! 


	7. The REAL chapter 7. The ending is bette...

Doushite? Doushite?! Why has it taken me this long to update?! And I wrote so little too! I think…u ppl be the judge of that. But I guess I lost interest in writing this, but now that I'm all happy and interested again (and someone is actually emailing me, befriending me, and asking me to write more) (THX SAKURAFANS!) Wyrm…I'm sorry I totally forgot about the time gap here. I changed the computer to a card catalog…don't know if I did that on FF.net yet, but it's changed on my computer! (and yes I finally got Microsoft Word to work, so no more spelling errors and hopefully no more grammar errors.) And I'm keeping the treatment center…it's just a very new thing to people…ok? Does that make u happy? I try to satisfy everyone…^^. I know it took me a long time to review, but what can I say? I was kinda not interested for a while. Now I have to push myself to work on this with high school coming around the corner and everything. I'M GOING TO BE A NINTH GRADER!!!!! EVERYONE CHEER!!!!! Demo…you want to read, so I'll leave u be. OH, and I finally got around to writing this. The poem at the beginning of the story isn't mine. I was sent a chain letter email thingy and I just changed the name Misty to Lina, and most of the daddy words to mommy, because it really fit into my story. But I so kept on forgetting the disclaimer. So whoever you are out there! You write really good poetry, and even though I didn't ask permission, I had to borrow it for a while. My friend suggests you get it copyrighted! Ja - KT-chan  
  
"But Lina-chan...I'm not." (last sentence in chapter 6) (IF you don't read the authors notes now, can you read them when your done reading this chapter? THX!)  
*A Couple Hours Later*  
"Shimo...has she improved?"  
"No. Maybe we...  
"Maybe we should give her drug M?"  
"Yes."  
"That would speed up…the…"  
"Yes, I know. And Lina doesn't even know."  
"Yes, but if we give her the drug, she'll forget all the bad memories."  
"Which means, we're hoping, that she'll remember she's 18."  
"Yes. That's a plus."  
"Do you think we should even though we haven't gotten her consent?"  
"Yes. I think we should. You don't think we could get jailed for this?"  
"I dunno, but it's a risk I'm willing to take."  
"Same here."  
*10 minutes later*  
Shimo walks into Lina's room with a needle. Lina is asleep. She injects Lina with the needle, containing drug M. Lina groans a little as Shimo punctures her skin with the needle.  
"S-Shimo? What are you doing?"  
"I'm just giving you some medication, ok?"  
"Alright, but I just got here…where's Kaji? I was supposed to go out to dinner with him to talk about some...things."  
"Oh thank goodness Lina, you're back to normal!"  
"Why...what was wrong?"  
"Oh…well you were thinking you were 12 again."  
"Really?"  
"Yes...really."  
"Then I..."  
"Yes, Lina-chan. You glomped Kaji when he came in the room."  
"Oh geez. I can't believe I did that."  
"Ah...so you don't have that crush over him anymore?!"  
"SHIMO!!"  
*laughs* "I'm sorry, Lina...I just couldn't help it!"  
"Ok I'll let that one slide, Shimo!"  
"Lucky for me, right?"  
"Yes. You don't want to be on the bad side of Lina Inverse!"  
"Oh of course not!"  
"Well Lina...Kaji will be in in a couple minutes to check on you. He just has to get rid of this Mr. Mettalium who is insistent on seeing you."  
"Mettalium? With purple hair? Smiles all the time? THAT Mettalium?"  
"Why yes...that sounds like him...is he a friend of yours?"  
"Uuugh...send him in for a couple minutes. You can't make Xellos go away."  
"Ok Lina-san………"  
*5 minutes later*  
"Hello Lina!"  
"What do you want slime ball?"  
"I want an explanation!"  
"Of what?"  
"Why are you in a cancer treatment center?"  
"Why do you think, dumbass?!"  
"Uuuuhhhh….."  
"Ok now you're sounding like Gourry..."  
"Ah...missing the jellyfish brains already?"  
"No..."  
"Of course you are. Oh well. So do you really have cancer?"  
"Yeah…why does it matter anyway?"  
"Well...Xellas wouldn't tell me anything and I was just SO curious I just HAD to ask. I mean…it's not fun when people know secrets about their friends and they won't say anything."  
"No, ya think?!"  
"I wasn't talking about me!"  
"Go figure...ok well I have an appointment I must go to, so I'll be seeing you, Xellos."  
"Lina..."  
"I'm sorry, your time is up."  
"Ok...but...what do you want me to tell Gourry? I know how...well Lina...he'll be a wreck unless you tell him SOMETHING!"  
"Ok, messenger boy..."  
"I am no one's messenger boy!"  
"That's what you sound like! Ok now listen up. Tell Gourry that I'm fine. Don't come looking for me cause I can take care of myself." (Anyone thinking of Fushigi Yugi here?)  
"Right like he's really going to believe that."  
"Well it's true-"  
"It may be true, but Gourry most certainly won't believe it."  
"Oh well...and don't you dare say anything else but that! You promise?"  
"Yes Lina-chan. Unless you tell me otherwise, I swear upon my masters great power that I will tell him nothing but that."  
"Good. Bye!"  
"Alrighty then! Nice seeing you Lina!"  
*Xellos disappears*  
"So, Kaji...ready to go?"  
"Sure am Lina!"  
*Kaji took off his white doctor jacket and put on a nicer one stored in the closet*  
"Ok...now I feel bad. I have nothing nice to wear."  
"Well that's ok Lina. What you have on is fine."  
"Ok."  
"Let's go."  
"Right behind you."  
*At the Restaurant*  
"So…what's this restaurant called again?" Lina surveyed her surroundings. She was sitting at a nicely carved table with lots of other similar tables. The walls were covered with newspaper clippings, but Lina didn't have time to go and look at them. The silverware was nicely polished silver, and the napkins were fabric with real leather bindings on the side. Everything in the restaurant was the best of the best.  
"Oh this little place? It's nothing. Really!"  
"This is your restaurant, isn't it?"  
"Why yes…now that you mention it…"  
"So…what are the newspaper clippings of? And what is it called again?"  
"Well…the newspaper clippings are all about you. And this is the official 'Lina Inverse Restaurant.'"  
"You're kidding…right?"  
"Why no…actually." Kaji smiled. He was very fond of this place. Hardly anyone came in here. Everyone was afraid of the 'Enemy of all who live.' Why would they want to go to a restaurant in her name? It was insane. But Kaji new Lina before she became famous. She's a good kid. Bound to great things, but…she's slowed down again. And something very important is happening.  
"So…what was it you wanted to talk about?"  
"Lina…what I'm about to say is very hard to believe. It's very big, and you have to believe me. There was no other option. It was a decision made on a whim."  
"Ok…continue" Lina eyed Kaji warily. He was going to let out a big secret. She could tell, because Xellos gets like this when he talks about his secret knowledge.  
"Well, when we brought you here, I had Shimo check on you while I took my rounds…"  
"Yeah and you said my cancer was spreading…I know. Get on with it."  
"That's not the only thing Shimo found. Most certainly not."  
"Well…what is it?" Lina stared at the waitress that was walking up to them.  
"Well-"  
"Can I take you order? We don't get many customers here! And Lina Inverse has never come into her own restaurant before! NEVER!" The waitress had on a short magenta skirt. The shirt was white, and went down to her elbows. The over shirt was a magenta vest, and her chest was basically hanging out of the outfit. The waitress had purple hair, and you couldn't see her eyes since her bangs covered them. She had a mocking smile on her face.  
"Ane-chan?"  
"Excuse me?" The waitress lifted up her purple bangs and revealed a pair of two smiling eyes.  
"XELLOS!" Lina stared at him. "Xellos?"  
"Hai?"  
"XELLOS?!"  
"Yes, Lina-chan?"  
"EEEeeeeeewwwwwwWWWWWW!!!!!"  
"What?"  
"YOU'RE A…a…a…a…a…a…oh that's just gross!"  
"You mean to tell me that just because I am disguised as your sister that I'm gross?"  
"NO! You're…a…a…a…a…oh gross you made yourself into a woman you freak!"  
"Oh…is that it?"  
"YES! Now go away!"  
"OK…fine. But I'll be back!!!!!" Xellos cackles evily as he walks away.  
Lina lets out a big sigh of relief, "Finally he's gone. Now…what were you going to tell me?"  
"Oh…I was just going to say that you were pregnant."  
Lina stared at him…and stared.  
And stared  
And stared some more.  
"Lina-chan? Are you…OK?"  
Lina blinked in reply.  
"OK good. For a minute there I thought you hadn't heard me."  
Lina blinked some more.  
"Well…will you make some noise so I know you're alive?"  
Lina got up from the table and walked over to the surprised looking Luna-Xellos, and screamed, "OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!!!!! You didn't hear that did you? OH MY GOD!!!!!" Lina walked back to her table and sat down.  
"OK…I'm satisfied."  
Lina blinked some more.  
"I know it's hard to believe. I nearly chocked when Shimo told me! But…don't worry about it. It'll all be over in a month."  
Lina blinked with a very surprised expression on her face.  
"I know it does normally take nine months, doesn't it? But you remember that medicine Shimo gave you without asking?"  
Lina blinked.  
"Good, well it made you forget all your bad memories, but also speeds up the aging process on children. So…in one month your problem will be over! OH and before I forget! To make it easier…she'll grow up to be six years old in six months. Easy, yes? So now that I've told you the big news, you can tell me that you want that bone marrow transplant, ok?"  
"Excuse me for a minute, will you?" Lina walked into the kitchen, where she found Luna-Xellos. She walked up to him and started crying on his shoulder.  
"Lina-chan?"  
Lina started crying even harder.  
"Lina…it's ok! Everything's ok. You didn't blow up the world. You just got knocked up! That's it!" Xellos tried the comforting method. It made him gag, but this is what friends are for, right? Even a half friend would do this.  
Chills racked through Lina body as she continued to cry.  
"Ok…maybe that's not helping…BUT!" Xellos thought of a new option sticking his index finger high in the air. (like he's some kind of genius)  
"NO! Don't you dare take me to Gourry. I'm strong! I have to be. Or else I wouldn't have made it this far." Lina pushed herself away from Xellos a bit.  
"But Gourry melted your heart didn't he? And in turn it made you afraid." Xellos stared at Lina.  
"Fearlessness was my only refuge from this disease. Now it's gone. I'm afraid again. And now I'm going to die. For sure." This was a depressing matter. But there was nothing Lina could do. Fate works in mysterious ways.  
"Lina-chan. That's not true! What about the operation?" Xellos looked thoughtful for a moment.  
"Xellos…do you really think someone wants to help the 'Enemy of all who Live' stay alive?" Lina stared at him incredulously.  
"HEY!!! Kids can be perks, ya know! With those little angelic faces of theirs. Besides these people from your village…they talk about you in sincere reverence!" Xellos smiled putting his index finger near his face. ('Sore wa himitsu desu' mode)  
"Yeah. That's because they all know what happened to me." Lina sighed.  
"So, maybe you will find someone." Xellos smiles one of those rare very evil looking smiles as he leaned his face close to Lina's and opened his eyes.  
Lina stared at him, "It's no use Xellos. I've made too many enemies." Lina started to cry again. Her life just wasn't fair. And definitely not today.  
"Setai Daijobu dai yo…it'll be ok, for sure." Lina looks up and sees herself in Gourry's arms.  
  
  
P.S. Please don't shove forks up my ass!!!!! . 


	8. Lina...crying?!

KT: Nother chapter…enjoy! OH! Make sure you review and let me know what you think! I'm trying to write more descriptively!!!!!  
  
Lina stared at him.  
"Hi Lina."  
Lina blinked  
"Huh? Didn't quite catch that."  
Lina blinked a little slower.  
"OH!!! Well to tell you the truth…I don't know how you got here either!" Gourry smiled at her. One of those 'You can trust me no matter what' smiles.  
"I'm sorry I left."  
"Is a smile all I have to do to get you to talk to me?"  
"If it's you, Gourry…pretty much."  
"Lina…where did you go?"  
"I can't tell you that Gourry. I can't tell you where I'm going to go back to, and I can't tell you why I'm there and I can't tell you why I can't tell you. Some really bad things are happening to me. And you'll just have to come looking for me."  
"Daijobu desu wa?"  
"No, Gourry. I'm not OK, but that's ok for now. I'll be ok for now. It'll be OK, for sure, right?"  
"Yeah. It will. Do you have to leave now?"  
"Yeah, I do. Tell Amelia it's not her fault. Tell her I'm sorry…really sorry. I had this problem long before I went on the road with all of you."  
"Lina…"  
"No. Don't talk. It's just too painful. Without you, Gourry…I'm very sad. Find me soon. Before it's too late. I'm afraid that I'm not going to tell you where I am, so…goodbye." Lina grabbed Gourry's hand as she floated upward back to where she was before."  
"Aishiteru…Lina-chan" Gourry whispered before Lina let go of his hand and disappeared.  
A faint 'Come find me…' was heard as Gourry woke up. His first thought was:  
:: Lina… :: Gourry got changed, went out of his room, and went to wake Amelia and Zel up.  
*******************************************************************  
"So…did you have a good time last night, Kaji?" Kaji walked in the door and stared at Shimo. Didn't she hear what happened from Lina?  
"Oh yeah…talking to a life less Lina was great fun."  
"What happened?" Shimo had no idea what Kaji was talking about. She hadn't checked on Lina since a half hour ago, and she was still asleep. She couldn't ask her about last night, because she was asleep.  
"I don't know…why don't you ask her?" Kaji walked off to do his rounds. He expected to have a long talk with Lina, but that Xellos guy…he brought her to the table saying she passed out. Her eyes were all blank. She wasn't really there, but she was sitting up. She had muttered the word Douzo every once in a while, and while he was carrying her back to the center, she had said, "Ittekimasu. Chotto Mattekudasai." She only said it once. Only once to reassure Kaji she was fine. But he wanted to know what happened. But Shimo didn't know either, so he decided to get to work.  
  
:: What's wrong with Kaji? :: Shimo thought as she got up to go check on Lina. :: He's seems kind of sad, yet…frustrated at the same time. :: Shimo opened the door to Lina's room. The window was open, and the curtains were waving in the breeze (Everyone remember the first eps. on the 8th tape? Good!). The sun was streaming in. The water basin was full of new water, the clock was chiming 10:00, and Lina had clothes set out for the day resting on the chair. Various things were strewn on the vanity, and yet…something was wrong. Shimo looked at the bed Lina was on. She was sitting up her bed, head resting on her legs, and her arms crossed over her stomach. She was crying. Horrible wracking sobs that sounded like they hurt. It looked like she had been sitting like that for a while, because when she turned her head up at Shimo her all were all red (all you Fushigi Yugi fans…the pic of Tamahome when he looked at Miaka after he saw his dead family will do). She had multiple rivers of tears going down her face. She looked beyond help. She had never seen anyone cry so hard. And that was saying something. Shimo had been around lots of people in pain, working where she worked it was only natural. But never before had she seen a display like this. It was terrible to look at her. Her whole face was wet. Looking at her eyes, you could see lots of red eyes. They were a little puffy, and rivers of tears were spilling out of them. Her lashes would shake drops of tears off of themselves every couple of seconds. Her mouth (though covered with wetness) looked unusually red, like they were chapped and still being chewed on. Her cheeks were amazingly red. Like she had a fever, or was just plain over heating. Lina was shaking like a leaf. Like she couldn't help but shudder every couple of minutes. Like she was cold and couldn't get warm. She was half covered with the blanket, and her other half was hunched over. Let's just say she was a wreck.  
"Doushite?" A simple word was uttered from those chapped lips in a hoarse whisper. Shimo almost didn't hear her. Lina said again, "Doushite?" A little louder this time. "Why do all my loved ones leave me? And when I find them…why do I have to leave them?"  
"Lina-chan…  
"DOUSHITE?!" Lina started over with the wracking sobs, and by this time, Kaji had walked through the door. Kaji walked over to Lina's bed and bent down. Lina turned to him, grabbed the collar of his jacket, looking menacingly into his eyes. A couple seconds later she started to cry on his shoulder, still holding the collar of his jacket (you get what I'm saying?). "I left the only person I love!" Lina cried. She couldn't calm herself down, and she needed someone to talk to. "Gourry's gone, and I didn't tell him where I was. I was afraid that when he found me, he'd be mad at me. I was so afraid!" The wracking sobs got the better of Lina. She started crying harder.  
"Doushite? Is Gourry so kowai that you couldn't tell him the truth?" Kaji spoke soft and soothingly. He thought of Lina as a daughter, and seeing her like this was tearing him apart. He smiled understandingly at Lina.  
"Nani?"  
"Is Gourry really that scary?"  
"Iie!!!!! NO! Gourry wouldn't hurt a fly unless he had to. He's…he's sweet…" Lina's hands flew to her mouth. A look of shock covered her face. She seemed to calm down a bit. Enough to stop crying a bit. Tears kept on flowing, but she wasn't making that much noise.  
"Then what was wrong? You had him in your grasp, Lina-chan…you just have to get up and go! You can't think about it…just do. Fearless. That's what it's like. Just doing things without thinking it through. That's all you have to do when you're in love."  
"It's not right. Not right that I should love him when I'm going to die soon," Lina started crying again. Today wasn't her day.  
"Lina-chan. Everyone deserves to be loved. There's nothing to it. No matter who it is. Everyone deserves to be loved. Everyone. Even if they're about to die."  
"No. I'd just be causing Gourry more pain," Lina's eyes welled up with tears again, and she started crying hard again. "I'm sorry…this…this isn't me. I don't cry. I'm tough. No need to cry. Stop this Lina. Just stop," She lectured herself.  
"Lina-chan. Cry a river if you have to. Gourry will find you. I'm sure. Cry as long as you want. No one's stopping you. Setai Daijobu dai yo. So we'll leave you alone for now."  
Shimo walked over to Lina, "Like Kaji said Lina-chan…Everything will be OK, for sure." Lina started her round of racking sobs as they left the room.  
"Shimo…keep a record of Lina's mood swings. Make sure she's ok. This is a very unique situation. I want you to find this Gourry Gabrieve. Find him soon and tell him where to go."  
"Hai. I promise." :: Be strong, Lina-chan. We're here to help. ::  
***A couple hours later***  
Shimo crinkled the paper she had in her hand. "Stupid…technology…can't find anyone!" Shimo was steaming. (Looks a lot like me when I can't find information for something for school, except I yell at my computer and hit it a couple times where as Shimo just crumpled the paper…ooooooo.) "Why is it so hard to find someone?!" Shimo stomped into Lina's room. She opened the door and screamed, "OK! Now you're going to help me find this guy and you're going to help me NOW! Now GET OVER HERE!" Shimo was breathing deeply and resembled Sakura (from CCS people) when her brother called her a monster.  
Lina stared at her.  
"COME ON! LET'S GO!"  
"Who are you looking for?"  
"You traveling partner Gourry, and it's impossible to find him and this stupid card catalog has no idea and no one else has seen him for years…and you traveled with his for pete sakes! WHERE IS HE?!" Lina had never seen Shimo this mad. Technology (Or lack there of) must have finally gotten to her. But she remembered where Gourry was, so maybe she could calm her down and repay her and Kaji for this morning.  
"Shimo-chan ^_^; …I know where Gourry is!" Shimo glared at her.  
"Where?" She continued to take long deep breaths.  
"Well…he's at that inn I stayed at with all my other friends in that town that I left!" Shimo's expression changed.  
"OK…now what town were you in?"  
"I have absolutely no idea! ^_^" Shimo got monster like again as she stomped off to find Kaji. A couple minutes later Shimo was screaming down a different hallway. Bossing people around when she was angry was one of her specialties. It was funny to look at her when she was mad. It'd make a great painting. Lina lied down on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. Suddenly she was staring at Luna-Xellos.  
"ANE-CHAN!!!!!" Lina backed into the corner of the bed.  
Xellos lifted up the long bangs, "Wrong again, Lina-chan!"  
"XELLOS?!"  
"Hai?"  
"You're still in that disguise?!" Lina didn't think he liked the disguise that much, but I guess you never really can tell with Xellos.  
"Well yes. I mean I wouldn't be…but I sort of can't get it off."  
"Can't get it off?" Lina stared at him.   
"Well yes! It's magically stuck on me."  
"Oh…"  
"Yes."  
"Wait…Xellos you're strong in magic…why can't you dispel the spell?"  
"Well…it seems that someone with strong white magic has cast the spell, and I can't work against high white magic spells. It makes me gag."  
"Whatever…so…what are you doing here?"  
"Well I've decided to be useful for once, and help that deranged nurse of yours."  
"She not deranged."  
"Well she something…definitely got issues!"  
"Say one more word about her, and I'll release my ultimate weapon upon you, Xellos." Xellos went all wide eyed with an expression like 'You wouldn't' pasted on his face.  
"You betcha I would. Would you like me to demonstrate?" Xellos paled.  
"NO! No…that's quite alright Lina-chan." Lina smiled smugly at Xellos.  
"Almost lost all your cool the, didn't you?" Xellos glared at her.  
"I hate you."  
"OK, so now go make yourself useful Xellos! Go on! Be a good boy! Go and help Shimo!"  
Xellos stalked off glaring daggers at Lina.  
***A couple hours later***  
One kaijuu, and one kaijuu looking person stomped into Lina's room.  
"I CAN'T STAND HIM (HER)!!!!!" The kaijuu said.  
"OK!! OK!!!!! Don't get all stressed about it!!!"  
***Ten minutes later***  
Xellos and Shimo swayed back and forth with one of their arms on the other's shoulder. Both had sake bottles in their free hand, and the song 'That's Amore' played in the background.  
"Wow…it worked!" Lina stared at the Duo very surprised. Kaji walked in, and stared at them.  
"Lina-chan…uhm…what…happened here?"  
"OH!! Kaji-san! I just got these two to get along!"  
"And exactly HOW did you do that?"  
Shimo and Xellos sway even harder.  
"Well, Kaji-san…you'd be surprised how much better life seems when you have a little alcohol on hand! ^_^" (Not really…it just fit in for this situation, ne?)  
Kaji sweatdropped. A good staff member was now drunk. How was he going to fix this?  
  
*I'm a Believer starts to play* BYE ALL!!!!! TILL THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!!! *dances with some of her characters* WHOOOOOOOO! 


	9. A New Appearance!!!!! BE SHOCKED!!!!! ...

Hey everyone!!!!! I must thank my good friend Joe for this chapter. He wrote the end of the chapter, and fixed some things up. I wanted Naga to be in character! And another fan of mine was emailing me and reasoning with me to make Lina more in character, so I did, I hope. But...I guess you guys are the judge of that, ne?! Enjoy!!!!!  
***The Next Day***  
Lina was dreaming. She was floating in dream space.  
"Darkness beyond twilight..."  
Lina's eyes opened in the dream space. 'I've...I've heard that before. It's very familiar. Demo...'  
"Crimson beyond blood that flows."  
Lina sat up in the dream space and looked around her. 'This is...this is the Dragon Slave. It's that forbidden spell I found in the attic, in Ane-chan's trunk. There are few people who know this spell. Very few who can cast it as well.'  
"Buried in the flow of time..."  
Lina ran a hand through her hair. 'Who's casting this spell? This voice...doesn't sound familiar...yet, it does. Who would be here in my dream casting this spell? Why is this important?!'  
"In thy great name I pledge myself to Darkness."  
Lina turned around and was confronted by the image of a young girl. She was standing in front of the supreme king who resides in the north pole of the universe. One of the subordinates of Ruby-Eye Shabranigdu Dynast Grauscherra. 'Why is she fighting Dynast? Dynast hasn't even come after me yet. The cold lord hardly ever shows his face. What is she doing fighting him?!'  
"Let the fools who stand before us be destroyed...by the power you and I posses!"  
Lina looked at the girl more closely. She had blonde hair that was as long as Gourry's. She was wearing a long sleeve, white, button up shirt, and blue biker shorts (spandex shorts). She turned once to look at Lina. She had red eyes, and wore Lina's gold earrings. She had a small jellyfish tattooed on the back of her left palm, and her nails were painted blue. She turned around ready to utter the last words of the spell.  
"Dynast Bolt." Dynast cast his lightening spell at the girl, but she dodged it, spell in hand, and fired the Dragon Slave. It hit Dynast straight on, but you could tell it wasn't affecting him. He somehow absorbed the energy. The girl stood there looking perplexed. She didn't have many spells left that she could fight him with.  
"Dynast Brass." Two simple words came out from a monotonous voice. The girl standing in front of Lina was blown back towards her. The girl laid sprawled on Lina's right side. A little blood trickled out of her mouth.  
"O-ohayo...oka-san. I'm afraid I have to go. It's complicated for me to stay any longer. Gomen nasai...oka-san...demo...now you know what I would have looked like..." Lina was shocked. She was staring at the dying face of her daughter. She could tell that this wasn't a premonition. This would never happen. She was going to have a girl, but at this very moment...she could feel her dying inside of her. Lina wouldn't have a child, but...she wanted to show Lina what she would've looked like, and how much power she would've had. She wanted to show Lina...  
"Sayonara...oka-san!" The girl stood up, and started walking away from Lina. After she was a meter away, she exploded. Just like that. Exploded like she had cast a spell inside herself and set it off. Gone...gone with the wind. Never to be seen again. Lina saw a few tears fall from her eyes.  
"Nani?" Lina laughed at herself. "Why am I...why am I crying?" Lina sat there for a while and just cried. She felt a sharp pain in her side, and closed her eyes. Lina woke up from her dream and saw Kaji poking her with a yardstick. Standing at the end of the yardstick looking very scared of her. "Nani?" Shimo came up from behind him.  
"Lina-chan...you were casting a spell in your sleep. It sounded powerful, and we couldn't wake you up to stop you, but all the sudden...you stopped saying the spell. And then you sort of laid there...and we were afraid you were going to start saying it again, so we tried waking you up. And here you are...awake..." Shimo laughed, but backed down behind Kaji again, still a little afraid of her.  
"Shimo-chan...will you check to see if the baby inside me is ok?" Lina looked up.  
"Nani? Oh...sure...Lina-chan...why?" Shimo stopped looking scared and stared at Lina.  
"I just have this feeling that...that something bad has happened to it." Lina looked down at the sheets.  
"Sure..." She ushered Kaji out, and started the check up on Lina and her baby.  
***Half and hour later***  
"A miscarriage...I thought so. Thank you Shimo-chan." Lina looked down at the sheets again.  
"I'm sorry Lina-chan...I'm so sorry!" Shimo looked at Lina. She felt sorry for her. So many bad things had happened to her already. Life was going bad for her again, so terribly bad. Lina looked up at Shimo smiling.  
"Ah...who wants a little brat to take care of anyway? Certainly not me...eh Shimo-chan? Kids just aren't for me. SO!!!!! Let's go shopping tomorrow! I need to get out of this dumps ville! OK?!"  
"Lina-chan..."  
"OK, Shimo-chan? Come on! Don't look so sad! I'm fine! I didn't want a kid in the first place. Kids don't have a place on the road, so...cheer up!"  
"Alright, Lina-chan. We'll go shopping tomorrow, and you can tell me all about your dream later tonight, ok? I got work to do, so if you don't mind..."  
"OH...no Shimo-chan...sorry to keep you away from your work. I'll let you go now! See you later!!!!!!" Lina smiled and waved as Shimo left the room. 'I shouldn't be that sad...I mean...I did get to see what she looked like...or what she would look like, and I did get to see that it turned out to be a girl, but...it's kind of sad to know that...a legend like that had to die even before she was born. I'm glad I'm back to normal now. I mean I didn't want to worry everyone, so I did my old Lina's just peachy keen routine (wow it rhymes). I wish Gourry were here. He would comfort me at least-'  
"OH HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!!" A hideous laugh resonated from the hallway. "Now show me to the room of my rival, Lina Inverse!" A couple minutes later, Kaji opened the door. His ears had tissues in them, and his hand was over his nose.  
"Couldn't handle her, could ya, Kaji-san?" Lina looked at him and laughed. He looked pitiful. Lina couldn't help but laugh.  
"Oh how nice of you to laugh in my moment of despair. Who is this woman?"  
"Naga..." Lina had to pause because she was laughing so hard, "She won't leave you alone till you let her see me, and she'll keep laughing like that even if you ask her to stop. She's a pain, and she's keen on beating me in magic." Lina started laughing again.  
"Is that you, Lina?" Naga appeared at the door. She stared at Lina. Sitting in a bed in the hospital. In pajamas looking like the same old Lina.  
"Ohayo, Naga..."  
"OH HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!!" Kaji ran out of the room towards the bathroom. His ears were spouting blood again. "I finally found you, Lina!   
OH HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!!"  
"Yeah...it's nice to see you too, Naga...please leave."  
"Oh...Lina...aren't you glad to see me?"  
"No..."  
"Well...that's just too bad. I'm here to bust you out of this place"  
"Naga...I'm not leaving. Not now...not until I'm cured."  
"So...is that why you left me? Just because I found out that you had that silly old disease?"  
"Yes. Now if you would please get the idea of busting me out of here out of your mind, we could continue our conversation."  
"So...they're not holding you captive?"  
"No...who told you that?"  
"Well...this very helpful man named...well he didn't tell me his name, but he was always smiling, and had purple hair, and was rather amusing. He had a cane stick thing too. Although he wouldn't let me see it ..."  
"That...would be Xellos. That kinifing bastard. When is he ever going to learn?!"  
"Well...he seemed pleasant to me Lina..."  
"Yeah...he only helps people who are going to help him in something he has to do."  
"I refuse to believe that a commoner could use me!"  
"Well.... He's evil Naga...but...he hangs around me anyway."  
"He's evil?"  
"HE'S A MONSTER, NAGA!!!!! COULDN'T YOU TELL?!"  
"Well...actually...my powers of deduction are not as sharp on an empty stomach."  
"Yeah...neither could I at first." Lina smiled. Naga was helping her in the process of getting to be 'Lina-like' again. "So...how long has it been, Naga?"  
"Years I believe...and I must humbly admit that I've gotten stronger. I'm going to beat you this time, Lina!"  
"I'm still waiting for that day to happen, Naga, and trust me...that day will probably never come. As long as I have the Dragon Slave, and the Ragna Blade...you can never beat me."  
"Never? I think you're underestimating me abilities just a bit here, Lina!"  
"Naga...do you know what kinds of spells those two are?"  
"No, but it won't matter, Lina! You can't beat me this time!"  
"Naga...unless you've found another spell that calls upon power from lord ruby eye himself, then I think you are exaggerating."  
"So...the Dragon Slave and the Ragna Blade call upon power from the lord Shabranigdu?"  
"No. The Dragon Slave does, but...the Ragna Blade calls upon power from the Lord of Nightmares. The creator who made nothingness into our world."  
"Really? Lina your ability to lie has not improved. No such spell exists."  
"Of course it could. It took me like a whole year to find the Claire Bible and find the whole spell in there!"  
"The Claire Bible? Lina...we never went on a journey for that treasure!"  
"No...we didn't, did we? That was Gourry, Zel, Amelia, and me, wasn't it? Oh well...guess you lucked out."  
"LINA!!!!! How could you leave me behind on such an adventure?!"  
"Easy...I didn't know where you were, wanted to keep it that way, and didn't want to bring you along." Lina stuck her tongue out at Naga.  
"Well then...to make it up to me you'll just have to teach those two spells to me, won't you?"  
"No...I don't. Amelia already tried that."  
"Amelia?"  
"Yes. Amelia Wil Telsa Sailoon; crown Princess of Sailoon. She wanted to learn the Dragon Slave, but she gave up once I told her that she has to know when and where to cast it, and she didn't and never would, so she knew she should give up."  
"The...crown princess?"  
"Yup. She's very...nice...yet annoying. Actually...you kind of look like her in a more skimpy outfit."  
"This is very fashionable!"  
"Oh right...and I'm not Lina Inverse, the Enemy of all who live."  
"You...aren't?"  
"I AM, BAKA!! Just never mind."  
"So...who were the other people you mentioned?"  
"Who? Gourry and Zel?" Naga nodded her head, "Oh...Zel is a Chimera who used to be a human who's the grandson of Rezo the Red Priest, whom I had to kill by the way, and he's kind of anti-social and everything, but he's very intelligent, and we talk for a while about all that goes round and such. And Gourry is just this dumb mercenary who thought I needed to be saved from a bunch of bandits, and later I found out he had the sword of light, so I followed him around trying to get it from him. He's stupid, but he makes a good traveling partner. Zel kind of goes on his own, and Amelia well...I guess we don't talk that much on the road. But...Gourry and me traveled alone for a while, and it was fun. We had some fun adventures." Naga noticed a blush creep across Lina's face.  
"Ne, Lina...do you have a fever, or do you have feelings for this Gourry gentleman?" Naga asked as she felt Lina's forehead, "Nope...no fever." Naga got that evil cat person look, "You like him, don't you?"  
Lina was taken back by Naga's last statement. " What makes you think I would like a dumb blond with an IQ rivaled by jellyfish?!"  
Naga struck an informative pose and in a proud voice stated, "The ways of love and romance cannot escape the keen eye of Naga the White Serpent!" Naga winked at Lina and moved onto the bed so that they sat eye to eye. She smirked and than said," And at times I know you better that you know your self."  
Lina blushed neon red but than snickered and looked back at Naga, " You know what Naga? That's probably the only thing I've ever heard you say that I can totally agree with."  
Naga became lost in thought for a moment but then shot off the bed and looked at Lina with a strange conviction. "Your beloved Gourry shall never know how you feel if your cramped in this stuffy environment." With that Naga grabbed Lina's clothes and stuffed them in her travel sack, and then took hold of Lina, picked her up on piggyback, and then shot out the window. She landed with a thud.  
Lina let go of her big-breasted companion and looked at her in shock, " Naga what the hell do you think-!" Before she could finish Naga cast sleeping on her. She fell into Naga's arms and began to loudly snore.  
Naga smirked and picked up the sleeping woman. "You'll thank me later, and I want to meet this princess." With that Naga started off in search of Gourry and the others. 


	10. A New sIdE of tHiNgS! somewhat edited by...

Hey peeps!! It's me KT! I'm crawling out of that dark hole I've been hiding in and have made another chapter for you!! Actually I've had this chapter ready for publishing for a couple months now, but since I figured people wouldn't get around to reading it (which they probably still won't) I was deciding to publish it during winter break when I got my most reviews last year…but since I already started writing chapter 11, I decided to post this. I hope you all enjoy it, because the next chapter won't come out till winter break when we all get out of school to celebrate Christmas and Kwanzaa and that Jewish holiday that I can't believe I forgot what it was (the one with the menorah and the dradle. Was it called Passover? I know that's something you celebrate…but is that the one I'm thinking about? They talk about it a lot on the Rugrats), and all the other countries holidays in December and January; OH New Years as well.  
  
  
***That morning on Gourry and Co.'s side of things***  
"Where's the next town?!" Amelia was tired. They'd been traveling now nonstop for about 5 days. Only stopping to sleep. Normally she wouldn't complain, but she wanted a bath. She smelled like mold, and her hair was starting to itch. She didn't want to develop lice…  
"We'll be there in about 10 minutes, Amelia." Zel was actually glad to be coming to this town. With no Lina around, and Amelia's spirits in the dumps…things were very tense around everyone. Gourry was unreachable. If you talked to him…well he didn't really answer back, or he said something equivalent to 'Stay focused!' He didn't eat, and he didn't sleep. He was always on guard. Zel was beginning to worry about him.  
"There's supposed to be an inn there that's similar to an old castle. Want to check it out?" Gourry didn't totally want to freak his friends out. Sure he was intent on finding Lina, but you can't stay like this forever. You have to take a chill pill somewhere along the way.  
"Castle?? Inn?! Sounds GREAT!" Amelia was thrilled! Gourry said something normal! He wasn't in the weird mode.  
"Fine with me," He must've found his chill pill. Well…better than he was before. He even got Amelia to perk up. But…maybe that was the mention of the inn.  
"Alright it's settled…we'll stay there for about four days of relaxation, and move on to continue our search."  
"FOUR DAYS?!" Amelia was positively ecstatic! She hadn't relaxed for about a week! Things were definitely looking up! Amelia found her perky place again, "SO! What should we check out once we're there?!"  
"Don't know…" Yes…Amelia was definitely back to normal.  
***15 minutes later***  
"Amelia…you have room 15…Zel…14, and I have room 13. We'll get settled in and meet back here in about an hour, ok?" Obviously Gourry had something planned…  
"Why? What are we going to do?" Amelia stared at Gourry. Since when did he plan everything?  
"Oh…I've got something planned."  
"Ok…" Zel took his key and headed up to his room.  
"Alright, Gourry-san…if you say so…" Gourry handed her, her key.  
"I'll see you in an hour!" Gourry headed up the stairs leaving Amelia staring after him as he ascended the stairs.  
***Half an hour later***  
Gourry walked down a hall. It was one of those that made everything look sort of dark. Light was streaming up ahead, and Gourry thought back a couple years ago.  
************************************************************************  
"GOURRY!!!!! GET OUT OF HERE! Follow that girl."  
"But…"  
"Dude…leave. And…" The other Gourry took something off his belt, "Take this with you. Don't tell anyone you have it, don't say goodbye…just leave."  
"But…"  
"GO!!! NOW!"  
Gourry ran out the back door and attached the sword to his belt. The girl had gone towards the woods. He stared back at the house as he heard the door explode. He stopped for a couple minutes and listened for sounds. He started running when he heard the screams of his twin brother. He pictured the house bathed in blood as he fell to his knees a few miles away.  
************************************************************************  
"Rowdy…today's the day…"  
"HEY!!! Hey YOU!" Gourry stood in a doorway of a room full of instruments.  
"What?" Gourry wondered what those musicians could possibly want from him.  
"Can you sing? I mean…our lead singer just quit, and we've got nothing now."  
"When are you playing?"  
'What am I thinking? I can't do this!' Gourry thought to himself.  
"Tonight, but if you can sing, we can play anything you got."  
"You sure about that?"   
'I must be crazy!' Gourry sighed.  
"Positive."  
"What kind of music are you looking for?"  
"There's a national rock convention going on…but I'm sure you've got-"  
"Know anything by Rowdy Gabrieve?" Gourry interrupted. He was sure they didn't know anything. His brother only played in town, and their town was small.  
"Dude…are you serious?!" Gourry stared at the guy. Apparently he was wrong, "That guy is awesome! And…you look a lot like him! You don't happen to BE Rowdy Gabrieve, do you?"  
"No. Rowdy is dead." Gourry looked at his shoes. They needed polishing.  
"You serious? You talk about him like you were related…"  
"Yeah…"  
"Well…let's see what you got. We were at one of his concerts once. We were on vacation, and happened to stop by. Which song you going to sing?"  
"Oni-chan's song. The one he wrote for me."  
"You mean…he wrote that 'bout you?"  
"Yup."  
"Well…then you must be Gourry, am I right?"  
"Yup." Gourry couldn't believe what he was doing. He wasn't a singer. His brother wrote those songs. It wasn't right to do this, but…something was telling him he should do this.  
"Well…come here. We'll play the music, or close to it, and you sing the lyrics."  
Gourry walked towards the stage, not noticing Zel walking up to him.  
"Ok…you sure you don't mind…I don't know if I can sing all that well…I haven't done this since well…since I was about 15."  
"You'll be fine! My name's Joe, by the way." Joe handed Gourry a stick with a circle on it, "We had a sorceress amplify that. The circle is what amplifies your voice, got it?"  
"Yeah."  
'What is he doing?' Zel peeked around the corner of the doorway, as Gourry started to sing.  
The guitar started with the sound of Gourry's voice.   
"Could you let down you hair and be transparent for a while? Just a little while, to see if you're human after all. Honesty is a hard attribute to find, when we all want to seem like we've got it all figured out. Let me be the first to say that I don't have a clue…I don't have all the answers, ain't going to pretend like I do, just trying…to find my way…" Another guitar joined the first one.  
'This…this is really good!' Zel stared hard at Gourry.  
"Trying…to find my way, the best that I know how" Drums now accompanied the two guitars. You have two acoustic guitars, and the drums. And they blended with each other very well. Kept the beat all around.  
"Zelgadiss-san…" Amelia came up from behind Zel.  
"Ssssh. Listen! That's Gourry singing."  
"Really?!" Amelia leaned over Zel to get a look at Gourry.  
"Ssssh!"  
"Sorry." Amelia leaned against the wall and listened.  
"Well I haven't memorized all of the cute things to say, but I'm working on it. Maybe I'll master this, and film it someday. If I quote all the lines off the top of my head will you believe that I fully understand all these things that I've read. I'm just trying to find my way. Trying…to find my way. Trying to find my way, the best that I know how." More instruments were added as the words cut out for about thirty seconds. A tambourine started up when Gourry started to sing the next lines.  
"Well I haven't got it all figured out quite yet, but…even if it takes my whole life to get to where I need to be. And if I should fall to the bottom of the end, I'll be one step back to you. Trying…to find my way. Trying, to find my way. I'm trying to find my way. Trying to find my way." A violin started to play till about thirty seconds till the end of the song, and then the piano took over and ended the song. The band put their instruments down as Joe walked over to Gourry.  
"Dude! That was awesome! I mean your voice is a little bit different from his, but you're awesome!"  
"Really?" Gourry couldn't believe his ears. Rowdy was the musician…how could he be about just as good? He never took lessons, and he hadn't sung in years! He sung once when Rowdy had gotten sick, and the crowd couldn't really see the difference, but Gourry lacked the sword then, and they figured it out soon enough. Needless to say Gourry hadn't sung since then. How could he be any good?  
"You'll do just fine."  
(Author's Note: The song Gourry sung is Trying, by Lifehouse. I'm modeling his brother's music off of theirs. And yes…I did make up Gourry's brother.)  
"Well…I was going to do some things with my friends this evening…"  
"That's fine…just tell us what other songs you can sing, and we'll rehearse our parts."  
"Ok…how about the song Carousel (Sick Cycle Carousel)?"  
"Yeah, we got it."  
"Scars? (Simon)"  
"Yeah."  
"How about Stranger of a Girl (Somewhere in Between)?"  
"No…was that a new one?" Gourry looked down at his sword.  
"Here…" Gourry unsheathed the sword, took the scabbard, and shook something out of it. Joe stared at Gourry.  
"Is that…"  
"A Rowdy original. Given to me with this sword a couple hours before he died."  
"Wow. Really? Music scores and everything?"  
"Some of it, yeah." Gourry handed it to Joe.  
"There's some stains on it…"  
"Yeah…I was a mercenary before I started traveling with someone, and I found that a little after a battle I was in. I got some blood on it."  
"Really? Ouch."  
"It was nothing." Gourry looked at his feet again, the uncomfortable feeling coming back again.  
"Let us play this, and you can tell us if it sounds right."  
"I've…I'm sorry. I've never heard it."  
"My brother must have just written it in the few days before he died, because the band never played, or practiced it, and I never heard it."  
"Oh. Don't worry about it! We'll just play it, and hope it's right."  
"Alright." The band started to play. After twenty seconds into the song, Gourry yelled, "Stop."  
"Something wrong?" Joe asked Gourry.  
"It should be slower."  
"I thought you said you've never heard the song…"  
"I haven't. I just know."  
"OK."  
"Oh, and on the downbeat the tambourine and the drum should play together."  
"Got it." The band played again. It sounded right. Gourry didn't say anything else. This was a good band. Picked up on things easily. Which is good when playing music. You can make it far that way.  
  
A half an hour later, Gourry walked to the lobby.  
(Author's Notes: Thx for the postcard Kiri-chan!!!!!)  
"You guys ready?"  
"Yeah! Where are we going?!"  
"I'm taking you down to Lake Bemidji."  
"Where's that?" Zel was curious to how Gourry remembered the name of a lake.  
"It's above Lake Irving. We're in the center of the city about. So if we go east, we'll come upon Lake Bemidji."  
"And how do you know this, Gourry-san…I mean…you never remember anything!" Amelia was puzzled. Gourry was sounding smart.  
"Well…there are certain days where things are remembered easier than others. This is the hometown of my brother's favorite folklore hero."  
'I never was as dumb as anyone thought. I just act this way so people won't ask the questions I don't want to answer.'  
"What hero was that?"  
"Paul Bunyan, and his blue ox, Babe."  
'Oh come on! This is basic knowledge…Zel should know this at least!'  
"OH! Cool! So…we're going down by the river? To do what?"  
"To eat dinner! They have this wonderful little restaurant next to the ocean. I remember Lina saying something about it once. She said she fried and tied up some bandits next to that restaurant."  
"Really? Wow. I wonder how long ago that was…"  
"Apparently a long time, because she was traveling with someone else at the time, and when I found her, she was traveling alone and had been for a while."  
"Oh…ok" Amelia smiled and wrapped her shawl around her. They had all dressed up for some reason or the other. She had her hair up in a bun, was wearing a black dress with black teardrop earrings, and a magenta shawl and hairclip. Her shoes were flat shoes since they were going to be walking on sand. They were flat, and black. They exposed her toes and had a strap that went around her Achilles tendon.  
"So…do we have to walk there?" Zel was also pondering why they dressed up, but nevertheless he went along and dressed up too. He had on a dark blue suit with a gold tie. His shirt was white, and his shoes were black.  
"No, we can rent some horses, ok?" Gourry wanted to look nice today. This was the day his brother had died, and he wanted to look good. He had a white shirt, and a black suit, with shiny black shoes, and a black tie. His hair was back in a low ponytail, and an onyx clip held it in place. "So…are we ready to go?"  
"YEAH!!!!!"  
"All set…" Gourry and co. headed out of the inn in search of a stable.  
***Mid-Afternoon (the next day) on Lina and Naga's side of things***  
Lina was sleeping on the ground. Naga had obviously kidnapped her, and she'd cast a sleeping spell on her as well. She had tried to arouse Lina earlier this morning, but to no avail. She just wouldn't wake up! She wondered if Lina ever would. She was sweating up a storm, and rolling all over the place, so Naga assumed she was having a bad dream. But this wasn't REALLY her fault…Lina could've kept her mouth shut about her OTHER friends, and they never would've been in this situation. Naga got up from their spot and went to find some wood so she could make some lunch.  
*In Lina's dream*  
A younger Lina fell on her knees a field. This was the family vacation, and still…her mother still wouldn't stop abusing her. She was too little and inexperienced to do anything about it just yet, but someday. Someday she would run away and do something that would prove to her mother that…well it would prove something to her. She had run away from her grasp for now, but no telling how long it would take before her mother found her again.  
"Are you alright?"  
"Yeah…fine." Great…villagers giving her their pity; that was the last thing she needed.  
"Well…I mean you don't look alright…"  
The younger Lina turned around to look at the kid. He was a little older than her. Definitely taller, and looked like a dumb blonde.  
"I'm not a dumb blonde if that's what you're thinking."  
"Yeah that's what I was thinking…"  
"I just act this way."  
"Why? Doesn't it make you feel stupid?"  
"One thing I learned…people don't ask questions when they know you're dumb. Really. They don't."  
"I'll remember that…"  
"Hey…obviously you don't know what a kick in the back looks like a couple of hours later…what happened to you? Who roughed you up? This town's too small for something like this to happen without other people noticing…"  
"I fell…that's it."  
"You fell my ass! You're coming with me."  
"NO!" The guy stared at her.  
"Why the hell not? You obviously need some help, but won't take none from nobody! I think you're just trying to cover up what happened to you. You're trying to fool people into thinking you're OK. Why? Is this person so scary that you wouldn't be able to stand them finding out that you told someone that they did this to you?"  
"Yes. I can't tell anyone. Not a soul. I can't get help from anyone either. It'd just get you into greater trouble than I'm worth."  
"I don't care. I'm taking you with me whether you like it or not!" The guy picked Lina up and started to carry her. She started squirming and shouting.  
"Put me down! PUT ME DOWN!"  
"No. Not unless you promise to come with me."  
"Fine! Go grab my bag over there. I'm hungry." The man ran over to where they were before, and came back carrying her bag.  
"What do you have stuffed in this thing?"  
"Food…" Lina opened it up and started stuffing her face. When she finished, they both stood up.  
"How did you eat that much?" He poked her stomach to see if it all fit in there. Lina winced, but the guy didn't notice, "You got three stomachs or something?" He poked her again.  
"OW!" Lina clutched her stomach.  
"What I didn't poke you that hard!" Lina started falling. "Hey…HEY!" The guy caught her as she woke up.  
***Back in reality***  
"You finally woke up…want some lunch?" Naga gave Lina a once over before adding, "What happened to you? You look like shit with all those bruises and everything…"  
Lina looked at herself. She didn't have these before, "What…" Lina lifted her shirt up. She stared down at her mid-drift and found herself staring at a huge gash in her stomach that looked a day old. Instantly she shoved her shirt down, put her hands on her face, and started backing into a tree…backing into insanity.  
See you all in the next chapter around Christmas time!! Hope you enjoy this chapter of Lina's life. Let me know what you think!! All comments and flames and reasonings and such go to me in reviews, or email at smilesevily3000@aol.com. JA! 


	11. Is This the End! finally an update!

Hey people! Good to see you again! Hope to snare some more reviewers with this story, and whatnot. Thanks to Slayers Otaku Girl for making me write this new chapter after my (don't tell anyone!) 9 month break! Good to get back to this, kinda…enjoy!  
  
"bla" - actual dialog  
  
:: bla :: - thoughts  
  
A couple meters or so down the road a nice traveler was walking along a path. It was a nice day. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and there was a smell of roasting sausages in the air. The traveler started to think about lunch. He couldn't wait to get into town. And with this cart of his, it was taking him forever. Why couldn't traveling be easier these days? You shouldn't have to carry so much stuff, but I guess when you're a traveling merchant…that's the risk you take. OK so he was traveling down the road, enjoying the scenery and loving the view from where he was. The sausages smelled good, and the scream that echoed through the area within a 20-mile radius just improved the sight. Wait…was that a scream?  
  
"LINA! Lina get a hold of yourself!! What's wrong?" Naga started shaking Lina. She had just flipped out a couple of seconds ago. Obviously the lack of traveling with Naga had done something to her sanity. She really did hope she recovered from if. But she was being a little unreasonable at the moment. When she woke up, Naga said she looked bad, and when she lifted up her shirt, well…obviously she had seen something unpleasant, but Naga had no idea what it was, and then she just sort of shoved her shirt down and sort of sat there for a couple of seconds, and she gradually lifted her hands to her face and back into a tree, and this all eventually led to this huge and fear filled scream. It was disturbing to hear a sound like that coming from Lina. That was when she realized something was wrong. She left the sausages and went over to Lina and was trying to figure out what happened to her. "Lina…please tell your dear old friend what's wrong!"  
  
  
  
The middle-aged man traveling on the road saw a man just up ahead of him. He was just standing there in the middle of the road smiling to himself and looking like he was waiting for someone.  
  
"Good day sir." The purple-haired man said to him, turning slightly as he went by. The traveling merchant tipped his hat to him and continued along the path for he didn't associate with evil. But as he took another step forward, one of those ear-piercing screams filled the air once more, and the purple-haired man disappeared from his sight.  
  
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Lina couldn't believe what was happening! She couldn't believe it. To believe it would be to remember all those horrible years. But pain always stopped the memories from coming back. Always. Lina raked her fingernails down her face in an effort to make them bleed. She shoved Naga out of the way as she proceeded to cut herself with the blade she had in her cloak. After adding about 5 slices to her left arm she dropped the knife from fear of her own self-destruction. Her arm had this numbing pain to it, but it wasn't enough to keep the memories away. And the blood flowed from her left arm, but it didn't stop the memories. She grabbed at her hair and screamed, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!! I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER YOU ANYMORE!!!" She turned her back from Naga who looked white as a ghost now, and ran into the woods feeling too humiliated to remember any horrible abusive memories of her past. She'd run until she passed out. She'd run, cause she'd rather be anywhere but here.  
  
About a half an hour later the middle-aged traveling merchant came upon the purple-haired man again. This time he was holding a girl looking concerned, yet content at the same time.  
  
"AH! We meet again good sir! I am wondering if I might ask a favor of you."  
  
"Depends on what you might be asking me for now, don't it?  
  
"Yes, I suppose so. I am just but a wandering mysterious priest, and I was wondering if you might be so kind as to take this young woman into the next town, and deliver her to the inn there? I have other business to attend to and cannot travel there myself. But I can't just lay her down anywhere, can I? So I thought I might ask you."  
  
"What happened to her?"  
  
"Oh…I have no idea. She just came running out of the woods, saw me, and passed out. I'm guessing from loss of blood by the looks of her." Conveniently, a slip of paper fell out of the girl's pocket. "I'm sorry, I must go now. Thank you for taking her for me!" And with that the man set her down on the road and started walking in the direction the merchant had just come.  
  
"Well…let's get you settled, shall we?" The middle-aged man picked the red head up and set her in his cart. He went back outside, and picked the piece of paper up. Bringing it in the cart with him.  
  
Double Tree Inn  
  
Room 13. Gourry Gabrieve.  
  
Arrived yesterday at 4:00pm  
  
  
  
"I guess I'd better get you to the Double Tree Inn then…" The man climbed to the front of the cart and started the horses on the trail ahead. They'd be there in about 15 minutes. Let's hope he got there fast enough. The girl looked pretty banged up. The man turned around and addressed the sleeping girl; "You'd better not die on me, cause I'm not going to jail cause I couldn't keep a girl alive that I didn't even hurt. You probably did this to…" The more the man stared at her, the more familiar she looked. And that was going someplace he didn't want to go. About 6 years ago a local newspaper reported something about the worst child abuse case ever found. It showed explicit pictures of the girl who was about 12 years old. It reported that she had high magical tolerance and that she learned powerful magical spells at the age of 11. It also mentioned that she had been diagnosed with cancer only a month prior to the article. What a poor girl. He just hoped he wasn't staring into the face of the same girl about 6 years later trying to commit suicide.  
  
*************************At the Inn (later that day)*************************  
  
The merchant walked up the stairs in haste. He was searching for a room 13, and had no time to spare. "Alas!" the merchant sighed as he found the door. He banged upon it, and when a tall blonde answered, he explained that he had a friend of his who was in need of medical attention down in his cart and needed his assistance to carry her. It took the man a couple minutes to catch on. "Please sir! It's very urgent. Follow me."  
  
"Alright. Just let me alert my friends that I'll be gone for a minute," and with that, he knocked on doors 14, and 15 and they were on their way.  
  
*****Outside*****  
  
The merchant dragged the girl out from his wagon and dropped her into the man's arms. She looked so small lying there, and he was glad to get rid of her, yet he felt bad that he had to be the bearer of bad news. Her friend looked so hurt, yet happy to see her. He thanked him and ran back inside. The merchant looked into the inn one last time to see him pounding or the door of room 15 yelling the name Amelia and asking for her help in healing the girl. He left shortly afterward.  
  
**********30 minutes later**********  
  
"Is Lina going to be alright?" Gourry was curious. Suddenly Lina had shown up, but she was terribly hurt.  
  
"From this wound yes…but," Amelia stared at her feet, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.  
  
"But what?" That caught Zel's attention. He figured something was wrong with Lina, but he still didn't know what it was. He had no leads either.  
  
"I'm sorry…it's just…" Amelia covered her face with her hands and started to sob. She looked down at the floor and ran out of her room. It was really terrible to know that one of your friends had contracted the disease that totally disintegrated the human body. No one should have to deal with that. Even now, Amelia could see the signs of the disease, even if no one else could. It was no wonder that Lina kept herself covered so much.  
  
"Amelia?" Zel walked out of the room, and after her. There was nothing left there for him to say.  
  
"I guess I'd better let Lina sleep then, eh?" They had checked out another room for Lina, so they could each have their own privacy if needed. Gourry wanted to stay and make sure Lina woke up, but he wasn't going to give anything away. He couldn't let down his charade just yet. So he got up and left with Amelia.  
  
**********The Next Afternoon**********  
  
Zel crept into Lina's room to see if she had woken up yet. To his surprise, she was up. She was sitting at the window seat wrapped in a blanket and drinking a steaming cup of tea. She looked out the window with haunted eyes. At that moment Lina turned around, noticed Zel, and changed her facial features to those of cheerfulness.  
  
"Hey Zel! How've you been?" Lina smiled at him.  
  
"Lina…" Zel crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"Amelia was already in here so I got some tea and food from her."  
  
"I see," Zel stared at her, and raised his eyebrows.  
  
"So! What is it that you needed?" Lina put a little too much enthusiasm into that sentence.  
  
"Drop the act Lina…if you don't feel well, don't act like you do," Lina turned away from him as he walked towards her. "What's wrong with you?"  
  
"I…well, it's complicated," Lina closed her eyes and took another sip of her tea.  
  
"I see. Then at least tell me what else is wrong with you! We're all worried!" Zel started pacing around the room, trying to put together the broken pieces of the jigsaw puzzle.  
  
"You mean…Amelia didn't tell you all this time, and you didn't guess it either?" Lina turned around, eyes wide. Zel stopped pacing and stared at her.  
  
"Was it really all that obvious?" Zel's brows furrowed and Lina stared into her mug.  
  
"I guess not if you weren't looking for the symptoms, no," She was surprised that Amelia hadn't told Gourry and Zel about the disease she had.  
  
"Then you can tell that I don't know what's wrong with you!" Zel threw his arms up in the air and started walking towards the door. He was normally a calm guy but…this was challenging his limits! He was too concerned to care about whether he was 'in-character' or not.  
  
"I-" Lina didn't mean to make him so upset. She stood up, and the blanket fell to the ground. She started to walk towards Zel, but her legs failed her. She stumbled and grasped onto the side of the window seat with her right arm. Zel turned around at that moment, to see Lina leaning against the window seat, trying to walk towards him, in her pajamas. It was then that he noticed that her bones were too frail to hold her up. "It's like brittle bone disease. I…well I guess you can say I caught cancer. Yet…Leukemia doesn't run in my family," She shook her head as Zel stared at her limbs. Paper-thin, like a pencil. And to think…she could've broken some more limbs just trying to walk over to him.  
  
"What about your…" Zel stared at her bandaged left arm.  
  
"Arm? I broke it. That's my fault. But…it'll be healed in about an hour or so."  
  
"What did you…" Zel took in the scratches on her face and left his sentence unfinished. He walked over to Lina, to help her back onto the window seat.  
  
"I…I um…kind of sliced it with my dagger when I left-" Lina just remembered leaving Naga in the clearing. :: Oh well she'll probably catch up soon enough… :: "Thanks," Lina picked up the blanket and wrapped it around herself again.  
  
"So…how did you catch cancer?" Zel grabbed a chair and sat next to Lina. Lina looked away.  
  
"It's not something…I normally like to talk about," She took another sip of her tea.  
  
"OK," Zel smiled at her, got up and started walking towards the door.  
  
"Thanks, Zel," Lina smiles into her mug, grateful he didn't press her for details.  
  
"I'll um…let myself out and talk to you later, OK?" He opened the door a crack and looked back at Lina.  
  
"Yeah…" Lina looked back out the window. As Zel was about to close the door, he noticed that haunting look and state of being come back to Lina. She really was in a terrible disposition. It was horrible to see another human being rotting right before your eyes, and a friend no less. Zel shook his head at the irony as he closed the door behind him.  
  
**********The Next Day**********  
  
Lina awoke to the sounds of someone else snoring. She glanced to the side of the bed to see Gourry sitting in a chair to the side of the bed, sleeping there; a basin of water was at the foot of the chair. He reminded her of that other time that something similar had happened, but…it wasn't the same person. It couldn't be…it…just wasn't possible.  
  
*********************In Lina's Memory*********************  
  
"HEY!!! Rowdy!!!!! Open the goddamn door!!!!!" A blonde haired boy kicked at the door since his arms were full at the moment. Lina's eyes were only halfway open, and she wasn't fairing too well. Her shirt was stained with blood, and it was growing redder. "Rowdy if you don't open this goddamn door right now, I'll kick it down!" The boy growled at the door.  
  
"Gourry? That you?" The voice came from a bit of a ways away, but was distinguishable.  
  
"YES! Now open the door!" Another boy came to the door, except he looked the same as the boy holding Lina in his arms. It was like holding up a mirror.  
  
"What the-" The boy, clearly named Rowdy, didn't finish his sentence as Gourry plowed through him and up the stairs to the guest room.  
  
"Someone roughed her up, and she's got this terrible gash in her stomach. We need a healer or something, fast!" Gourry laid Lina on the bed and turned around to face Rowdy.  
  
"I'll go find mom." Both boys nodded.  
  
"Yeah, forgot about her…good idea," Rowdy left the room to run downstairs in search of his mother. "Just hang on, my mom's a good healer, she'll heal you good. Real good," Gourry said to Lina. He ran out of the room to look for some towels, and to fill up a bucket with water. A few minutes later, they were all crowded in the guest room, the two boys watching their mother heal the girl, praying that nothing vital had been hurt. The Next day Lina had awoke to one of the boys sleeping in a chair with a water basin resting next the chair, and the other boy lying his head and arms on the end of the bed. Identical twins…how funny to find some here. She looked at the scene a bit, smiling, and drifted back to sleep.  
  
********************Back in Reality*********************  
  
"Lina?" Lina whipped out of the memory she'd been having, and put on her cheerfulness mask she loved to wear so much.  
  
"Good morning, Gourry! How've you been?"  
  
"Worrying about you," Gourry straightened in the chair and stared at her seriously. "Hope you don't mind, but you were bleeding during the night, and Amelia was indisposed at the moment," he gestured to the water basin and towel on the floor.  
  
"That's just like…" Lina's mask slipped for a minute, then she shook her head and said to Gourry, "Just don't do it again, Jellyfish-for-brains!" She clapped his hard on the back, as he lurched forward. Lina laughed. It was good to be with Gourry again. It truly was.  
  
Hey people it's been a long, long time since I last wrote. In fact, most of this was already written, but now that I've grown some more, my writing has changed again. I had some fixing up to do! XD! Yeah…a lot. Well anyways! How are all of my reviewers doing? Did you miss me? I miss you! It's been a while since I wrote this, so I don't know how I want it to end now…especially since I've changed my writing style. I had the ending all planned out, but now I wrote new stuff that made that ending impossible to happen. Or perhaps now I just don't like the ending, now that I've gotten older… . ANYWHO! It's good to touch base with all of you, and everyone must thank Slayers Otaku Girl. She was the one who requested that I continue writing this, so I got my rear into gear and wrote this out for all of you. This could quite possibly be the end! For most authors, it would be, BUT…since I can never seem to end my stories, this one is going to continue! Aren't you all happy? I just don't know how frequently I can update! I'm already writing another story, so it might take me a while to write some more of this. 


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